The Australian Labor Party has announced Bill Shorten has been elected as its leader after a month-long battle for the top job with Anthony Albanese.
Mr Shorten won the contest after receiving 52% of the combined vote of caucus and rank-and-file members, who got a say in the party's leadership for the first time.
The ABC reports the result was announced to the Caucus at a special meeting in Parliament House on Sunday afternoon.
Attaining the Labor leadership fulfils a long-held ambition for the former union chief.
Mr Shorten rose through the union ranks to become national secretary of the Australian Workers Union from 2001 to 2007.
His public profile was boosted during the 2006 Beaconsfield mine disaster, when two miners were trapped a kilometre underground for two weeks.
He entered Federal Parliament in 2007 and held a place in the outer ministry.
In Labor's years in government, he was elevated to Assistant Treasurer before entering Cabinet as Minister for Workplace Relations and then Education Minister.
Mr Shorten will now lead the charge for Labor in opposition as it faces off against Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The Coalition won 90 seats in this year's federal election, leaving Labor to rebuild with just 55 seats.
