Māori councillors across Ruapehu, Rangitīkei, Whanganui and the Manawatū-Whanganui region see a rare opportunity to rethink how local government works for Māori.

As councils respond to Government orders that could redraw boundaries and create new unitary authorities, much of the debate has focused on what communities stand to lose. But for Māori councillors in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, the bigger question is what they could gain.

The Government’s fast-tracked local government revamp has