Australia will take a seat at the United Nations Security Council for just the fifth time after registering a surprisingly comfortable first-round ballot victory in New York.
Needing 129 votes, Australia collected 140 while Western Europe and Other Group competitors Luxembourg registered 128 and Finland 108.
"It's always good to see Australia win," a beaming Foreign Minister Bob Carr said after the vote on Thursday.
"This was a big, juicy, decisive win.
"It's hard for Australia in these forums because we're not part of a major bloc.
"So we've got to be good to get a majority, we've got to be super good to get a big majority."
Senator Carr said the victory was "a lovely moment" and he and Australia's UN Ambassador Gary Quinlan were pointed in their thanks to nations in Africa, the Pacific and Caribbean for their support.
Australia last held a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 1985-86.
There are 10 elected seats and five permanent members: China, the United States, United Kingdom, Russia and France.
About $24 million was spent on Australia's campaign for a seat, launched by Kevin Rudd in 2008.
"This is vindication for Kevin Rudd," Senator Carr said, adding Prime Minister Julia Gillard's speeches to the UN last month had also been widely praised by delegates.
The Australian delegation was cautiously optimistic going into the vote, but the bitter disappointment of being surprise losers in the last Australian attempt in 1996 taught them not to get their hopes up.
Senator Carr told reporters he was "quite nervous" as he walked into the vote, but emerged triumphant and slightly surprised by the emphatic victory.
"Australia entered this race late but that makes the margin of our win all the more incredible," Senator Carr said, reflecting on Luxembourg and Finland's nearly decade-long petitioning.
A second ballot in Australia's group was held later with Luxembourg upsetting highly fancied Finland.
Argentina, Rwanda and South Korea also won non-permanent seats.
The five newly elected nations will replace Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa on the Security Council.
"This vote endorses Australia as a good global citizen," Senator Carr said.
"The world is saying we respect Australian values, we respect Australian professionalism. We want Australia to help."
