But on the upside, Team New Zealand retained the America's Cup, Crowded House has been playing to sold-out crowds, and a transtasman travel bubble is pending — we hope. A temporary social cohesionAs a consequence of all of this competence, New Zealanders' trust in their governing institutions remains high. The narrative of the "team of 5 million" is the latest iteration of this. But neither can there be any doubt it obscures the extent to which we are not really a team at all. It is risky to gainsay the forced cohesion of the team of 5 million.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 23, 2021 19:32 UTC