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The Taranaki Regional Council has rejected iwi calls for only Māori to have a say when considering Māori wards.
The Department of Internal Affairs is consulting on how the public should have input into decisions about Māori wards.
The department has asked whether councils should engage with iwi, with voters of Māori descent or on the Māori roll, or with the wider public about Māori wards.
Officers recommended the regional council tell the department that engagement should include the wider public, in line with the rules for general wards (known as constituencies at regional level).