Wayne Swan elected Labor national president

Wayne Swan has defeated Labor frontbencher Mark Butler in the battle for presidency of the Australian Labor Party.

Wayne Swan has been elected federal president of the Labor Party. Picture: AAP

Former deputy prime minister Wayne Swan has claimed victory in the battle for presidency of the Australian Labor Party.

Mr Swan has defeated Labor frontbencher Mark Butler, who was the incumbent and the Left-aligned candidate.

Mr Swan, who was backed by the party’s Right, said it was an “honour and a privilege” to be the party’s next president.

“My campaign was driven by the belief that Labor’s future lies first and foremost in being clear about what we stand for. Our success won’t be determined by tinkering with internal processes or by the outcome of votes over single issues at national conferences,” Mr Swan said in a statement.

Here's the final vote tally for the election of Labor's national president:

Wayne Swan - 46.94%
Mark Butler - 37.69%
Mich-Elle Myers - 10.92%
Claire Moore - 4.34%

This is a very significant victory for Wayne Swan.#auspol #breaking @australian

— Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) June 18, 2018

“To get new members coming through our door, and a new generation campaigning and voting for us, we have to show them we mean business about creating a better, more democratic and more equal society. This means getting better at addressing the big picture.

“Around the world and here in Australia, democracy and equality are under threat from powerful and well-funded vested interests. We need to take them on and beat them.

“Labor must be re-organised so it can better fight that battle. We have to be more than a campaign machine for winning elections; we have to be a campaign machine for winning the battle of ideas.”

Mr Butler criticised Labor Party powerbrokers during his campaign for president, accusing them of scuppering party democracy which had created a low primary vote and reduction in members.

Congratulations to @SwannyQLD on a strong campaign and emphatic victory. I reckon his former boss and Nat Prez, Mick Young, would have been proud! Best wishes for the next 3 years. https://t.co/ABSJPdbyuc

— Mark Butler MP (@Mark_Butler_MP) June 18, 2018

Mr Butler congratulated Mr Swan on the “emphatic victory”.

“Best wishes for the next three years,” Mr Butler tweeted.