Dibbs was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1874.

[1] Under the constitution, ministers in the Legislative Assembly were required to resign to recontest their seats in a by-election when appointed.

[2] Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and on this occasion most of the ministers had been appointed prior to the election in October 1885.

The two new ministers, Thomas Slattery (Boorowa) and William Lyne (The Hume), were re-elected unopposed.

Dibbs took over as Premier following the October 1885 resignation of Sir Alexander Stuart due to ill-health.