Changing of the guard [BREAKING: Shearer leader, Robertson deputy]

No sooner than the National ministerial line up is released and barely before people can start pondering the new names and the changes the Labour leadership vote is upon us.

10:01AM and Twitter trending words for NZ:

Doug Bracewell
#ThankYouUncleSimon
#BlackCaps
Hekia Parata
Cabinet
#1YearSince1DGotSigned
Law Commission
Amy Adams
Warner

The newbie minister in Cabinet, Amy Adams is in the top ten - as is the rising star, Hekia Parata.

One of the Davids will be trending heavily, probably both in a few hours.

Twitter:

MutchJessica Jessica Mutch TVNZ
David Shearer and David Cunliffe have gone into the Labour caucus room to vote on who will be the next Labour leader.
19 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply
[...]
CraigFossMP Craig Foss
Thanks so much for your many messages of Congrats. I am looking forward to the challenges as we continue Building a Brighter Future.
20 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Camp shearer loyalist mp just told me this will be a 'slam dunk'
29 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
tauhenare West Side Tory
#LabourLeader wonder if it's a secret ballot. Show of hands? Red smoke from the parliament?
37 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

UPDATE 10:55AM

Still nothing confirmed yet even if the dodgy insider-trading Mecca that is iPredict is leaning heavily for Shearer:

From Twitter:

keith_ng keith_ng
Hmm. At 13c, perhaps I should buy some #TeamCunliffe stock. #jokesbro
39 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Press sec just raced out of the labour caucus . Decision has been made
29 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
JakeQuinn Jake Quinn
"David Shearer to be next Labour Party leader "on iPredict is running close to 90% and increasing in recent trading
8 minutes ago Favorite Reply

JakeQuinn Jake Quinn
"Grant Robertson to be next Labour Party deputy leader" on iPredict running close to 85% and increasing in recent trading
7 minutes ago Favorite Reply

dpfdpf David Farrar
@ @JakeQuinn Someone had 1,000 sell orders at 0.79 and they all got gobbled up.
8 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

JakeQuinn Jake Quinn
@ @dpfdpf Trevor's on his laptop? ;)
8 minutes ago Favorite Reply

dpfdpf David Farrar
@ @JakeQuinn I think I made a lot off Trevor on Auckland Central. I thank him!
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

They are sort of joking about it - treating iPredict "markets" as a game, but because of the insider knowledge these market participants have and the fact real money is on the line it makes iPredict highly suspect in my opinion. Rather than collective wisdom and all that guff it is a system that thrives on imperfect information - peddled by insiders themselves. The people influencing the "markets" (esp. via blogs) have a conflict of interest when they are participants in that market - and whether or not they disclose all their trades doesn't make that much difference to that criticism.

UPDATE 11:07AM

dpfdpf David Farrar
What's taking so long - are they running a focus group to decide what colour tie the new leader should wear?
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
How long does a secret ballot take
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Probably the deputy leadership is what is taking the time. Supposedly Grant Robertson ahead, but either him or the other mooted deputy, Nanaia Mahuta - from camp Cunliffe - will not make particularly impressive leadership material.

TinaWickliffe Tina Wickliffe
It's David Shearer and Grant Robertson. #LabourLeaders
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Its shearer and Robertson
8 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Shearer and Robertson just walked into the leaders office
8 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
TheNBR The Authority
Shearer wins Labour party leadership battle http://tinyurl.com/82yy4ww
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
ScoopNZ Scoop News
RT: @lyndonhood Shearer and Robertson seen outside caucus room. Apparently this is proof.
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
danyalevy Danya Levy
Shearer for Labour leader, Robertson deputy. Hipkins and Fenton for whips.
2 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Unofficial still at this point, but the news reporters at parliament are reporting David Shearer as Leader, deputy is Grant Robertson.

Congratulations to David Shearer. Lange-like rise to power within Labour - only faster! Leader and deputy haven't been Ministers, so I guess that "fresh" look John Key has been thumping repeatedly in the media about his new Cabinet has been trumped by today's decision of the Labour caucus. It is a new look - will the policy substance follow? Will Cunliffe be happy to stay as Finance spokesperson and not undermine the leader the way he did to Phil Goff? My pick is that Cunliffe will play out a Paul Keating/Gordon Brown scenario (the long-serving Finance Minister who covets and finally takes the leadership).

UPDATE: 11:43AM

nzlabour New Zealand Labour
David Shearer announcing that he is the new Leader of the Labour Party. http://twitter.com/nzlabour/status/146358146368151552/photo/1
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
nzlabour New Zealand Labour
David Shearer has been elected as the Leader of the Labour Party. Grant Robertson is the Deputy Leader.
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
NEWS_UPDATES TUMEKE! news updates
Aotearoa: As centre-right govt. formed, opposition Labour Party picks former UN man, David Shearer, as leader. [TVNZ] http://bit.ly/uB2Be5
7 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply
[...]
patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Annette King's office already being moved out already. That's politics http://twitpic.com/7si2hl
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

UPDATE 11:50AM

chrishipkins Chris Hipkins
Congratulations David Shearer and Grant Robertson, our new Leader and Deputy Leader. I look forward to serving as their Chief Whip!
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

redalertblog Red Alert
New post, "Leadership results" - http://ow.ly/1BW5Yv
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

JakeQuinn Jake Quinn
Shearer and Robertson a breath of fresh air http://wp.me/pvdv6-I5
3 minutes ago Favorite Reply »

jordantcarter Jordan Carter
Labour's new team: #teamShearer #teamRobertson http://bit.ly/sVKvnX
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
nzlabour New Zealand Labour
Spokesperson roles will be decided before Parliament sits next week.
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

nzlabour New Zealand Labour
A united caucus, going forward together - David Shearer.
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

nzlabour New Zealand Labour
I'd like the party to become a party of ideas. We must grow our relevance. - David Shearer.
8 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
patrickgowernz Patrick Gower
Shearer says he is going to go out and meet kiwis at 'pubs, clubs and marae'
10 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

caffeine_addict dave
@ @norightturnnz heh at lease they didnt say "smart green economy " #greenrhetoric
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
[...]
norightturnnz Idiot/Savant
First Labour steals the Green's policies, now they're stealing their rhetoric #success
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

caffeine_addict dave
RT @jhartevelt: Shearer calls on Key to extend poverty committee to cross party group: "I want to be on that committee".
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply »

norightturnnz Idiot/Savant
"Clean, green, and clever" - where have we heard that before?
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

UPDATE 11:57AM

And David Shearer enters in the top 10 tweeted names in NZ before lunchtime:

Doug Bracewell #ThankYouUncleSimon #BlackCaps Hekia Parata Cabinet #1YearSince1DGotSigned Law Commission Warner David Shearer