Money and pay is back in the news again, this time with local council workers.

The taxpayers union has released information from the 2018 ratepayers' report, which has found that almost 5000 local council workers are earning more than $100,000 a year, and almost half of those are from Auckland.

But local government president and Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull told Mike Hosking they have many challenges like climate change and housing, and they have to go to the market to get the right people.

"We need people with expertise to do our services efficiently and economically in our community."

LISTEN ABOVE AS DAVE CULL SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING