Parliament and Pineapple on Pizza: Speaker Milton Dick's Plan to Save Democracy

Milton Dick has one of the most important jobs in Australia's government. He is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which means he keeps order in Parliament. But lately, he has been spending a lot of time outside the building — visiting schools all over the country to teach kids about democracy.

Dick wants every Australian student to understand how their government works. He believes this is more important than ever, because misinformation, social media, and political division are making it harder for people to trust their leaders. "As the Speaker, I need to protect democracy — whatever happens in the chamber, but also outside the chamber as well," the 54-year-old says. "We have a duty of care to fight for it."

One of Dick's favourite classroom tricks is a vote about pineapple on pizza. He asks students to raise their hands for or against, which sparks a lively debate. At the same time, it teaches children how voting and parliamentary procedure work. When Governor-General Sam Mostyn joined Dick for his 200th school visit at her old school in Canberra, she politely chose not to vote — because her role requires her to stay politically neutral.

Dick says test results show that Australian students are learning less and less about democracy. A national report found that only 28 per cent of Year 10 students met the standard for civics and citizenship knowledge in 2024. That is down from 38 per cent in 2019, which is the lowest result in 20 years.

He is calling for national civics lessons to be taught in Years 6 and 10 in every school. He wants students to learn how governments are formed, how courts work, how elections are run, and why independent institutions matter. "I'm not talking about politics," Dick says. "I'm talking about teaching democracy ... it's the meat and potatoes."

Dick has visited remote Indigenous communities, tiny schools with only two students, and island communities off the coast of Tasmania. This term, he plans to visit all 150 federal electorates across Australia. He says the visits have shown him that young people are far more interested in democracy than many adults think. "They get it," he says.

He makes sure the school program is bipartisan, meaning he invites politicians from all parties — not just his own. Students get to see democracy in action, not just one side of politics. Dick is also giving every federal MP a ceremonial mace to bring to classrooms, and he is setting up a new National Youth Parliament so young Australians can come to Canberra and experience lawmaking first-hand.

To mark the 125th anniversary of the Australian flag, Dick has been carrying a flag flown over Parliament House on a road trip across the country. He uses it to teach students about Australia's history and democratic traditions. Many students are surprised to learn that the flag's design was chosen through a public competition. Dick hopes to track down the descendants of the winning designers — including Perth artist Annie Dorrington and 14-year-old Melbourne schoolboy Ivor Evans — to celebrate at anniversary events in September.

Dick says his love of public service came from his parents. His father, Allan, was a World War II naval veteran who also worked as a butcher and taxi driver. His mother, Joan, was a nurse and midwife. Both taught him the importance of helping others.

Dick's message is clear and simple: democracy does not survive on its own. It needs people — especially young people — who understand why it matters and are willing to stand up for it. "My why is to hopefully do my bit to promote democracy and support civics," he says.