31 Facts About Andrew Laming

Andrew Charles Laming was born on 30 September 1966 and is an Australian medical doctor and former politician.

Andrew Laming was a Liberal Party member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Bowman for the Liberal National Party of Queensland from 2004 to 2022.

Andrew Laming is the son of former Queensland state Liberal MP Bruce Laming, who held the seat of Mooloolah from 1992 until 2001, and served as Deputy Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Andrew Laming was born on 30 September 1966 in Hobart, Tasmania.

Andrew Laming studied medicine at the University of Queensland and is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Andrew Laming holds a Diploma in obstetrics and gynaecology from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, a Master of Public Policy from Charles Darwin University and a Master of Philosophy in Public Health from the University of Sydney.

Andrew Laming continued obstetric training in 1993 with a diploma of obstetrics in Bromley and Farnborough Hospital in the UK.

Andrew Laming worked in the Northern Territory community of Lajamanu in 1995, combining ophthalmic surgery training and public health.

In 2000, while studying for a Master of Public Administration at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Andrew Laming was one of three people who established the now annual Kennedy School Review.

Andrew Laming co-authored Let's Go Turkey in 2001 before joining the World Bank Group's Health Nutrition and Population section in Washington DC.

Andrew Laming then worked with the East Timor Transitional Authority as Health Planning Specialist as the country's health system was rebuilt.

At the 2001 federal election, Andrew Laming unsuccessfully challenged Con Sciacca in the federal seat of Bowman.

In 2002, Andrew Laming was employed as then Health Minister Kay Patterson's medical and public health advisor, then worked as an ophthalmologist, and a public sector consultant to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Andrew Laming was one of seven Liberal MPs in the 46th Parliament of Australia who had obtained degrees at an Oxbridge or Ivy League university, the others being Alan Tudge, Angus Taylor, Josh Frydenberg, Dave Sharma, Greg Hunt and Paul Fletcher.

Andrew Laming said that while undergoing post-graduate training in obstetrics and gynaecology in London, he was required to perform late-term abortions which he found "harrowing".

Andrew Laming failed to win support for the amendment and ultimately supported the bill.

At the 2007 federal election, it initially appeared on election night as if Andrew Laming had lost Bowman to Labor rival Jason Young on a large swing.

At the 2010 federal election, Andrew Laming was re-elected to the seat of Bowman with a swing of more than 10 points.

Andrew Laming was promoted to the position of Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health Services and Indigenous Health and onto the front bench.

In May 2013, Andrew Laming announced that he would maintain his registration as an eye specialist by applying to the newly constituted AHPRA; stating that this would give him the opportunity to volunteer in Aboriginal communities to perform eye exams and screen for disease to save surgeons time.

In 2006, Andrew Laming supported reform of the PBS, but his proposed changes caused backlash from the Pharmacy Guild.

On 28 September 2007, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions announced that there were not "reasonable prospects of conviction for a criminal offence against Dr Andrew Laming", effectively clearing him.

In March 2015, Andrew Laming was suspended from Parliament for 24 hours by the Speaker Bronwyn Bishop for bringing a jar of blackfuel into the Parliament House chamber and pouring it out onto his hand, in protest at the pollution left by cruise ship liners.

Andrew Laming gained notoriety in December 2016 when he spent eleven hours on the comment section of Facebook page 'The Simpsons Against the Liberals' after they published a meme making fun of his proposal to stop hiring PE teachers.

On 23 January 2021, Andrew Laming made a Facebook post suggesting that Indigenous Australians were petrol sniffers.

In March 2021, it was reported that Andrew Laming had repeatedly made abusive posts on Facebook targeting two women, with one of the women stating that he had been doing so for six years.

On 6 April 2021, Guardian Australia reported that Andrew Laming had set up and operated around 35 Facebook pages, supposedly for community groups and suburbs in his electorate, which he allegedly used to promote political material and attack political opponents, seemingly in contravention of Australian Electoral Commission rules requiring political authorisation for information intended to influence how electors vote.

In March 2022, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, which audits the travel and expenses of Members of Parliament to ensure they meet parliamentary standards, ordered Andrew Laming to repay over $10,000 for travel expenses he claimed in 2019.

Andrew Laming refused to pay back the money and claimed that the relevant emails proving the purpose of his travel were 'lost'.

In January 2024, Andrew Laming announced he would run for mayor of Redland at the local government elections.

Andrew Laming received 25 966 votes, less than half of the total received by the successful candidate, Jos Mitchell, who receive 52 599.