Milton Dick elected President as 153rd IPU Assembly closes in Tanzania
Mr. Milton Dick, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, has been elected the 32nd President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) by hundreds of parliamentarians gathered in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, for the 153rd IPU Assembly..
Mr. Dick took the top spot at the IPU with 56% of the vote after one round of voting conducted by secret ballot. He succeeds Dr. Tulia Ackson of the United Republic of Tanzania, who concluded her three-year mandate at the end of the Assembly.
Mr. Dick has represented the federal electoral division of Oxley in Queensland since 2016, following service on Brisbane City Council from 2008 to 2016. After studying at the University of Queensland, he worked as an adviser in the Australian federal government and in local government.
He was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2022 and re-elected unopposed in 2025. As Speaker, Mr. Dick has focused on impartiality, inclusion and engagement, and on efforts to make the chamber a safer and more respectful workplace.
He has also prioritized parliamentary diplomacy, including Parliamentary Friendship Groups and engagement with the diplomatic community. Within the IPU, he currently serves as Vice-President of the Executive Committee representing the Asia-Pacific Group, and as Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Finance, supporting cooperation, transparency and accountability.
Following the election, Mr. Dick said: “Today, there are no winners or losers. The IPU has spoken with one voice. This is democracy: a reminder that dialogue still matters, a reminder that respect still matters, a reminder that cooperation still matters. We will work together. We will listen to one another. We will seek common ground.”
Two other candidates were on the ballot: Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, and Mr. Rojo Edwards Silva, member of the Senate of Chile.
The IPU President is the Organization’s political head. The post carries responsibility for chairing its statutory meetings and representing the IPU at major global events. The President is elected for a term of three years and must remain a sitting member of parliament throughout the mandate.
The new President will work closely with the IPU Secretary General, Ms. Anda Filip, who was elected at the 152nd IPU Assembly, in April 2026, in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Over the past 25 years, the IPU presidency has been held by prominent parliamentarians from Spain, India, Chile, Italy, Namibia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Mexico, Portugal, the United Republic of Tanzania and now Australia.
Milton Dick of Australia, is elected the 32nd President of the IPU. © IPU
