[3] Laustsen began studying at N. Zahle's School in 1954 and graduated with Master of Science and Candidate of Law degrees from the University of Copenhagen seven years later.
Laustsen was promoted to the role of clerk and assistant lawyer nine years later and was appointed the Consumer Ombudsman's office manager in 1977.
Laustsen supported private and public hospitals and wished to emphasise preventative efforts in healthcare.
[3][4] Laustsen was subsequently promoted by Schlüter to become the first woman to be made the Minister of Housing; she held the post from 3 June 1988 to 18 December 1990.
Laustsen received much criticism, particularly from Kirsten Jacobsen, the spokesperson of the Progress Party, who accused her of over-borrowing.
[3][4] Following her resignation from government after the 1990 Danish general election,[3][5] she was the DKF's foreign affairs spokesperson between 1990 and 1998 and became part of its cultural policy rapporteur in 1995.