Andrew Laming

Infobox MP


name = Andrew Laming
honorific-suffix = MP
caption =
constituency_MP = Bowman
parliament = Australian
term_start = 9 October 2004
term_end = present
predecessor = Con Sciacca
successor = Incumbent
birth_date = birth date and age|1966|9|30|df=yes
birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
death_date =
death_place =
party = Liberal Party of Australia
alma_mater = University of Queensland, University of Sydney, Harvard University, Charles Darwin University
occupation =
profession = Ophthalmic Surgeon, politician
website = [http://www.andrewlaming.com.au www.andrewlaming.com.au]
footnotes =

Andrew Charles Laming (born 30 September 1966) is an Australian politician who is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Bowman, Queensland, for the Liberal Party of Australia, having first won the seat at the 2004 federal election. He was an ophthalmic surgeon, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, and a management consultant before entering politics. 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. [Schubert, Misha, "Man who leads the pill charge", "The Age", 15 February 2006.]

Early career

Andrew Laming studied medicine at the University of Queensland and is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. He also 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. He has worked in public health, economics, ophthalmology, international systems and finance.

After graduating from the University of Queensland in 1990, Laming worked as a rural GP in Gundagai, New South Wales, and the rural Queensland towns of Goondiwindi, Mungindi, Dirranbandi and St George. In 1991, he researched anterior cruciate ligament injuries at the Perisher ski fields. In 1992, he worked as a gym manager and rigger in South Africa as well as three months in Afghanistan clearing land mines with the British charity Halo Trust and doing basic war surgery with the International Council of the Red Cross in Kabul. [Hall, Eleanor, [http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1266609.htm Andrew Laming delivers maiden speech to Parliament] , "The World Today", 16 December, 2004 ] ["The Conversation Hour", 26 October 2006, Richard Fidler, in Federal Government Broadcast Alerts, Media Monitors Australia] He continued obstetric training in 1993 with a diploma of obstetrics in Bromley and Farnborough Hospital in the UK.

Laming worked in the Northern Territory community of Lajamanu in 1995, combining ophthalmic surgery training and public health. [http://www.cdu.edu.au/cdss0505/speakers.html#16 Charles Darwin Symposium Series 2005] , 20:20 Vision: Facing health challenges of the next 20 years, Menzies School of Health Research, 31 May - 1 June 2005] As part of a Master of Philosophy in Public Health, he was the principal researcher in evaluating single dose azithromycin for mass treatment of trachoma. This treatment became standard practice partly as a result of Laming's research. [ [http://appserv.menzies.edu.au/pls/portal30/docs/FOLDER/PUBLICATIONS/ANNUAL/PREVIOUSANNUALREPORTS/VOL1.PDF Annual and Quinquennial Report, Volume 1] , Menzies School of Health Research, Northern Territory, 1997-1998.] He conducted eye disease surveys across the top end as an ophthalmic registrar and co-founded "RedANT" - Australia's first mobile eye disease database, earning a Master of Public Policy from Charles Darwin University in 2000.

In 1999, Laming established FIDO - Friends In Deed Organisation - while completing ophthalmology training and Sydney Eye Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. FIDO was Australia's first internet-based volunteering service which partners skilled volunteers with not-for-profit organisations. Fido is now operated by The Centre for Volunteering in New South Wales and in 2006 it became known as Fido Skilled Volunteer Search. [ [http://www.fido.com.au/about_fido/history.shtml History] , Fido skilled volunteer search, matching skilled volunteers with not-for-profit organisations]

In 2000, while studying for a Master of Public Administration at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Laming was the founding editor of the now annual "Kennedy School Review". [ [http://www.hks.harvard.edu/ksr/about_us.htm "Kennedy School Review" history] ] He co-authored "Let's Go Turkey" in 2001 before joining the World Bank Group's Health Nutrition and Population section in Washington DC. [ [http://www.parliament.curriculum.edu.au/parl.php3?srch=&list_params=&ID=723 Andrew Laming MP, Member for Bowman Federal House of Representatives] , Parliament at Work] He then worked with the East Timor Transitional Authority as Health Planning Specialist as the country's health system was rebuilt. [ [http://www.andrewlaming.com.au/About%20Andrew16.htm About Andrew] , www.andrewlaming.com.]

Political career

At the 2001 federal election, Laming challenged Con Sciacca in the federal seat of Bowman. The 1.87% swing to the Liberals left Sciacca as Labor's most marginal member in Parliament. [Australian Electoral Commission. (2001) " [http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/2001/results/QLDBOWM.htm QLD : Bowman (Post Election Results)] " "2001 Election Results". Accessed on 29 July 2008.] [Australian Electoral Commission (2002), "Two Party Preferred Statistics by Division" in "Election 2001: Election Results." (cdrom) ISBN 0-642-50181-5 reports the most marginal Labor-held seats in Australia as Bowman 51.42%, Stirling (WA) 51.58% and Hasluck (WA) 51.78%.] In 2002, 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. [Heywood, Lachlan, "Liberal keen to reverse ban on therapeutic cloning", "The Courier-Mail", 18 August 2006]

After the 2004 federal redistribution in Queensland, Sciacca nominated for the newly created seat of Bonner, which contained historically safe Labor areas formerly in Bowman, and Laming secured the now notionally Liberal seat of Bowman, centred on Redland City, with the highest swing to the Liberals of any seat in Queensland (6.06%). [ [http://results.aec.gov.au/12246/results/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-12246-155.htm House of Representatives Division First Preferences] , Australian Electoral Commission, Election 2004, 9 November 2005] Key policy areas in his first parliamentary term included the National Chaplaincy Program, [Koutsukis, Jason, "Chaplains set to help students", "Sun Herald", 11 June 2006.] and generic pharmaceutical reforms. [Cresswell, Adam, "Watching the PBS Waistline", "The Australian", 4 March 2006.]

In his first parliamentary term, Laming was appointed to represent the government on the UNESCO National Commission and in 2005, he participated in the International Election Observer Mission as an observer of the historic elections of Bougainville's first autonomous government. [ [http://www.dfat.gov.au/GEO/png/bougainville_peace_process.html Bougainville Peace Process: History of the Peace Process] , Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.]

Laming was a contributor to the 2006 RU486 "abortion pill" debate, during which he revealed that while training as an obstetrician and gynecologist in a London hospital, he was required to perform abortions in the mornings and then counsel women about infertility issues in the afternoons. [Maiden, Samantha, "Harrowing' abortions sway doctor MP", "The Australian", 16 February 2006.] Laming introduced an amendment to the controversial RU486 bill which would give Parliament a right of veto over RU486, but failed to win support and ultimately he supported the bill. [Franklin, Matthew, Clarke, Suzanna, "Not so hard to swallow", "The Courier-Mail", 18 February 2006.]

In 2007, Laming and fellow Queensland Liberal MHRs, Gary Hardgrave and Ross Vasta, were investigated and subsequently cleared of breaches relating to parliamentary entitlements. This included AUD$67,000 for printing campaign material and Laming's five-day employment of a staff member who worked in the office of Gary Hardgrave. There was speculation in the media and the Queensland Parliament that funds had been diverted to the Liberals' 2006 state election campaign. [cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/03/06/1173166698731.html|title=Three Lib MPs raided over use of print funds|last=Marriner|first=Cosima|work=The Age|date=6 March 2007|page=9|accessdate=2008-01-28] On 2 March 2007, the Australian Federal Police conducted a search on the three MHRs' electoral offices as well as those of a printing company and a graphic artist. [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/03/06/1172943395787.html|title=Federal Police raid Liberal MPs|author="Australian Associated Press"|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 March 2007|accessdate=2008-01-28] [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200703/1863934.htm|title=Qld Liberal MPs deny wrongdoing after police raids|work=ABC Online|date=6 March 2007|accessdate=2008-01-28] Laming described the incident as a "routine visit", while Liberal state leader Bruce Flegg noted that "this is one of a number of printers that would be regularly used by both the party and its members", and that he was not aware of anything untoward. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21333167-5005961,00.html|title=Police raid routine, says Liberal MP|work=Herald Sun|date=6 March 2007|accessdate=2007-03-06]

On 13 August Ross Vasta was cleared and Gary Hardgrave was cleared on 11 September. On 28 September 2007, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions cleared Laming of any impropriety in the matter. [cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22501520-5006786,00.html|title=Third MP clear in police inquiry|last=Fraser|first=Andrew|work=The Australian|date=29 September 2007|page=2|accessdate=2008-01-28] [cite news|url=http://www.cdpp.gov.au/Media/Releases/20070928-Laming.aspx |title=Media Release: Re Dr Laming MP|date=28 September 2007|author=Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions|accessdate=2008-01-28]

At the 2007 federal election, it initially appeared on election night as if Laming had lost Bowman to Labor rival Jason Young on a large swing. However, counting of pre-poll votes which progressed over the next couple of weeks placed Laming marginally ahead, and the Australian Electoral Commission eventually declared him the winner on a 50.04% margin — just 64 votes ahead — having suffered a two party swing of 8.86%, compared with the Queensland state average of 7.53%. [Bennett, Scott; Barber, Stephen, [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/RP/2007-08/08rp30.pdf Commonwealth Election 2007] , Department of Parliamentary Services, 8 May 2008, no.30, 2007-08, ISSN search link|1834-9854.] [Australian Electoral Commission. (2001) " [http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/Website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13745-155.htm QLD Division - Bowman] " "Election 2007: The official election results.". Accessed on 31 July 2008.]

Publications

*Laming, A.C., Currie B., Mathews J.D., "Azithromycin and trachoma; the first three months", "The Northern Territory Communicable Diseases Bulletin", NT Department of Health and Community Services, 1995.
*Laming, A.C., et al "Trachoma six months after the first azithromycin program in Australia", "The Northern Territory Communicable Diseases Bulletin", NT Department of Health and Community Services, 1995; 2:1-3
*Laming, A.C., "Azithromycin Trachoma Evaluation Group", "Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association", 1995, Number 20.
*Laming, A.C., "Afghanistan tragedy: war, public health and human suffering", "Australian Family Physician", 1995, 24: 2191-5.
*Laming, A.C., Martin F.J., "Right problem, wrong solution; Medical provider number restriction", "ANZ Journal of Ophthalmology", 1997, 25: 5-6.
*Laming, A.C., Leach A.J., et al, "A prospective study of Azithromycin treatment", "Clinical Infectious Diseases", 24: 356-62, 1997.
*Laming, A.C., Hallsworth PG, "Chlamydial detection in trachoma". "Medical Journal of Australia", Feb 13, 1999.
*Laming, A.C. (founding editor), Livesey F., Lyman L., "Kennedy School Review", Harvard University, 2000, Library of Congress No. 00-1909974.
*Laming, A.C., et al. "A targeted single-dose azithromycin strategy for trachoma", "Medical Journal of Australia", April 2000.
*Laming, A.C., (co-author) "Let's Go Turkey", St Martin's Press, 2001.
*Laming, A.C., "How to prune Australia's $5b pill-popping tab", "The Age", 15 April 2005.
*Laming, A.C., "Stamp of pride in walk toward future", "The Courier-Mail", 6 June 2005.
*Laming, A.C., "Let's Overhaul the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme", "The Australian", 10 January, 2006.

References

External links

* [http://www.andrewlaming.com.au Andrew Laming website - Electoral website] .
* [http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1266609.htm ABC - Quotes from maiden speech to Parliament] .
* [http://www.qld.liberal.org.au/Members.aspx?MemID=37 Andrew Laming] , Liberal Party of Australia, Queensland division.
* [http://www.cdu.edu.au/alumni/connect/classnotes/members/laming-a.html Andrew Laming CDU alumni biography] , Charles Darwin University.