Jane Anderson was first appointed as the Latrobe Health Advocate by the Victorian Minister for Health in May 2018 and reappointed in 2021. The first-of-its-kind in Australia, the role of the Advocate is to provide independent advice to the Victorian Government on behalf of Latrobe Valley communities on system and policy issues affecting their health and wellbeing. Jane provides community-wide leadership by enabling, mediating and advocating for health improvements through health and broader system improvements and change.
The role of the Latrobe Health Advocate delivers on a key recommendation of the 2014 Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry, which found the health profile of the Latrobe Valley is poorer compared to other local government areas in Victoria. In light of this, a number of actions were proposed to improve service coordination and health outcomes in the region, including appointment of the Latrobe Health Advocate, the establishment of the Latrobe Health Assembly, and the designation of the Latrobe Health Innovation Zone.
The role of the Advocate is a key mechanism of the Latrobe Health Innovation Zone, which is designed to give voice to community aspirations in the planning and delivering of better health and wellbeing outcomes, and where a process of co-design with individuals and organisations is actively encouraged.
Jane Anderson was appointed independent Chair of the Latrobe Valley Asbestos Taskforce in February 2019, which was commissioned by the Victorian Government to review how asbestos is managed in the Latrobe Valley, including the safe identification, handling and disposal of asbestos across industrial, commercial and residential sites and locations. The Taskforce has made one set of recommendations to Government and is preparing to deliver a second set later this year.
Jane is an active member of Regional Partnerships Victoria and a former Board Director of Lifeline Gippsland.
