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Canterbury's regional council - Environment Canterbury - is unhappy that an effort to ensure Māori representation has failed. The council has two Ngāi Tahu representatives, but under existing governance legislation these roles will expire in time for October's local body elections. A bill before Parliament on Wednesday would have ensured permanent seats for the iwi. But the plan was derailed by New Zealand First, which sided with National. Steve Lowndes is ECan's chairman. He talks to Susie Ferguson.
