Craig Laundy

Early years and background

Laundy is the son of New South Wales public hotel baron, Arthur Laundy, and his wife, Margaret. The family owns more than 30 hotels across NSW. He was born in Sydney and educated at St Patrick's College, Strathfield, St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, and the University of New South Wales where he graduated with a Bachelor of Economics.

Prior to his election to parliament at the 2013 federal election, Laundy worked in the family hotel business.

Fringe benefits tax

As a candidate during the 2013 federal election campaign, Laundy argued that the removal of the fringe benefits tax concession on motor vehicles would be "another kick in the pants to Australia's automotive industry."

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

In January 2014, public broadcaster, the ABC received criticism from senior members of the Coalition government, including the Defence Minister, David Johnston and the Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who said that he feels that sometimes the ABC acts in a way that "instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's." Laundy defended the ABC, responding that he does not defend their content, but their right to "say what they want." He said that "the beauty of living in a democracy is that if you don't like what you're hearing, what you're watching, or what you're looking at on the internet, choose another channel." He also said that it is not the role of the ABC to be patriotic.

Racial discrimination

In March 2014, the Attorney-General George Brandis proposed draft legislative amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act, 1975, seeking to remove sections that made it unlawful "to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people" on the basis of their "race, colour or national or ethnic origin." Laundy, a Liberal backbencher at the time, spoke out against the changes, saying that it was "important that we support a legislative system that reflects the diverse and multicultural country that modern Australia has become today." The changes were dropped after widespread public outrage, and opposition from some Liberal backbenchers, including Laundy, Phillip Ruddock, and Ken Wyatt, an indigenous Member of Parliament.

On 3 October 2014, Laundy joined with Labor MPs Tony Burke, Anthony Albanese, and Michelle Rowland, all Catholics, in supporting the #NotinMyName campaign, which condemns racism, hatred, and bigotry.

Palestine

Laundy is co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine Group. On 5 June 2014, the Abbott Government announced the term "occupied" would no longer be used to describe East Jerusalem. Laundy publicly opposed the shift in language, saying that the area was occupied by armed Israeli forces.

Same-sex marriage

Laundy does not support same-sex marriage, but had previously supported a conscience vote on the issue. In September 2014, he declared that he no longer supported a free vote.

In 2015, pro same-sex marriage activists sent unmarked letters filled with glitter to the offices of several Federal Coalition MPs. Laundy's office was briefly locked down until police determined the packages were harmless, and the activist group GetUp! issued an official apology for the stunt. Laundy labelled it a grossly irresponsible act noting that to 'send any undeclared substance through the mail to the office of a Member of Parliament will inevitably cause alarm'.

Refugee intake

Laundy was shown photographs of a dead Syrian toddler fleeing the Syrian civil war by his daughter at the dinner table, which brought him and the rest of his family to tears. Moved by the images and the unfolding crisis, Laundy called the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton, canvassing an increase in the humanitarian refugee intake by Australia, especially in relation to refugees from Syria. Speaking to the media afterwards about the decision to seek asylum in the face of intense suffering and persecution, Laundy drew parallels between refugees and all of humanity, saying: "There but for the grace of God go any of us. Put yourself in the position of those people and tell me you wouldn’t do the same." Laundy was subsequently appointed as the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs.