Former publican Craig Laundy has been promoted to the role of Minister for Small and Family Business, Workplaces and Deregulation, although he won't be taking a seat in Cabinet.
In a statement on Tuesday's Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Mr Laundy "spent two decades in private business before joining Parliament so will bring unique insight into the challenges faced by small businesses".
He worked in the family business, Laundy Hotels, for 20 years, managing more than a dozen pubs and hotels in Sydney and regional NSW, alongside his brother, Stuart Laundy. Stuart made headlines in October after winning television series The Bachelorette.
Craig Laundy left the family business in 2013 to seek election to Federal Parliament as the Liberal Candidate for Reid. He became the Assistant Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science in February 2016.
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Peter Strong, CEO of the Council for Small Business of Australia, has welcomed his appointment.
"He gets business, he's part of a family business, a well-known family business in Sydney and he's really easy to talk to," Mr Strong told SBS News.
"Really well respected by industry people, a lot of energy, so my immediate reaction was that's really good."
Mr Laundy will take direct responsibility for workplace relations and will work closely with Michaelia Cash in her new role as Minister for Jobs and Innovation.
While Mr Strong believes Mr Laundy should be in Cabinet, rather than the outer ministry, he says the addition of workplace relations to the portfolio is a positive.
"One thing my board and members have said is that 2018 is going to be about workplace relations ... that it's becoming more complicated, not less complicated, so to have small business become lumped in with workplace relations is a very good fit"
The ACTU welcomed Mr Laundy's appointment in a statement while being critical of Senator Cash as Minister for Industrial Relations.
“Under Cash, working people’s wage growth was the lowest on record. 40 percent of the workforce is insecure work," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said.
"We call on the new minister, Craig Laundy, to focus on the real issues facing working people and their families and to end the ideological war his government has been taking to those who are on the side of working people”.
Mr Laundy replaces Michael McCormack who served as Minister for Small Business for two years. He'll now become Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel.
