Craig Laundy
A pragmatic Liberal Party moderate from Western Sydney whose retirement highlighted the growing ideological tensions within Australian politics.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Australian politician·Birthday: February 16·Generation X
Biography
Craig Laundy's political story is one of a local publican turned pragmatic parliamentarian. Before entering politics, he ran the family hotel in Sydney's inner-west, an experience that gave him a grounded, small-business perspective. Elected as the Liberal member for the diverse and swinging seat of Reid in 2013, he cultivated a reputation as a centrist and a dealmaker, often acting as a bridge between his party's conservative wing and more progressive colleagues. He served as a minister under Malcolm Turnbull, focusing on small business policy. Laundy's political career was ultimately defined by its end: he resigned from the ministry and then parliament following Turnbull's ousting in 2018, a departure widely seen as a loss for the party's moderate faction. His exit underscored the challenges of representing a centrist view in an era of increasing political polarization.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Craig was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Federal Member for the electorate of Reid in New South Wales from 2013 to 2019.
- Held the position of Minister for Small and Family Business, the Workplace and Deregulation in the Turnbull government.
- Played a key role as a moderate voice and negotiator within the Coalition government on contentious policy issues.
- Was one of the few government MPs to hold a seat in Western Sydney, a traditionally difficult area for the Liberal Party.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he was the publican of the Condell Park Hotel, a pub owned by his family.
He is the son of former Australian Hotels Association president John Laundy.
He was a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage during the 2017 postal survey and subsequent parliamentary vote.
After leaving politics, he returned to the family hospitality business.
“Running a pub teaches you more about people than any political theory ever will.”
