He was a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Council, representing Southern Metropolitan Region from 2014 until 2019.
His maternal grandparents escaped from Germany to Shanghai in 1939, and Dalidakis's mother was born there, later migrating to Australia.
Before entering Parliament he was executive officer of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries, and later deputy chief of staff to Senator Stephen Conroy.
[4] On 31 July 2015, Dalidakis was appointed as Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade in the Andrews Ministry.
[6] On 17 June 2019, Dalidakis resigned from parliament, in order to take up a senior position with Australia Post.