It should be no surprise New Zealand’s social cohesion post the Covid-19 pandemic is a mixed bag.

The Helen Clark Foundation’s second annual "Social Cohesion in New Zealand" report says the results from its survey of almost 3000 people near the end of last year are hopeful and disappointing in equal measure.

Social cohesion is a complex beast.

The report defines it as the foundation on which a community or nation can navigate complexity and challenges.

As it says, New Zealand faces multiple long-term challenges including geopolitical turbulence, climate change, ageing population, and stagnant productivity.

"Our ability to navigate this complexity and challenging decisions require both excellent technical policy and good social cohesion for the right solutions to endure."

The good news is more than 80% of us take pride in the New Zealand way of life and culture, with a sense of belonging consistent across the country, for both those born here and elsewhere.

Another hopeful sign is that young people,…