Andrew Dickens: These flip flops from the right and the left need to stop

I had to chuckle after yesterday's interview with Mr Abercrombie from the PPTA, who grudgingly accepted that improvements to the education sector by the Government is a factor in teacher registrations being up 40% this year. 

Mr Abercrombie, other industry advocates, and the Labour-led Opposition have been dead set against the changes, but now they’re slowly admitting that things are better. 

It makes you wonder why they were so negative from the get-go, and I can only put it down to tribalism. 

If it’s an idea from the right, it has to be evil and wrong and bad for the kids and the vulnerable. 

Now this is also a weakness on the right. The Coalition spent the first year merrily throwing out any initiatives from the previous government, whether it had good aspects or not.  

The "us good, them bad" narrative is childish. And expensive and slowing us down. 

Three Waters was thrown out and replaced with the same thing, the only difference being it’s voluntary with no governance. The upshot is that we’re even further behind in finding funds to fix our water supply. 

I could go on.  

The cancelled ferries when the problem was actually the gold-plated ports. 

Chris Hipkins' big mistake in the leader's debate was to threaten to throw out an hour of tuition of the basics if they get in – a policy that is popular with parents and Mr Abercrombie even said works. 

These flip flops from all sides are exhausting. 

When National won the last election, they said the adults are back. Well, when is that actually going to happen?