The Andrews Labor Government has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer to lead the Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA) and support the community through its next phase of transition.
Chris Buckingham has been appointed to the role to ensure the LVA remains well placed to build on its partnership with business and residents to improve outcomes for the Latrobe Valley community.
Mr Buckingham brings 15 years of experience as a senior executive across a number of sectors, including state and local government and tourism. He was most recently the Chief Executive Officer at Casey Cardinia Libraries.
As a Gippslander, Mr Buckingham has strong connections to the Latrobe Valley and understands firsthand the unique opportunities and challenges faced by the region and the community.
Mr Buckingham will begin his new role next year and lead the LVA to drive positive community and economic outcomes for the future. He will bring his strong leadership experience to support partnerships with local businesses and communities, with a focus on backing more local jobs and driving the economy in the Latrobe Valley.
His appointment comes at a time of continued change for the region. The Authority, which was established for an initial period of four years to support the closure of the Hazelwood Mine and Power Station, is now entering the next phase of its work.
Under the leadership of outgoing CEO Karen Cain, the LVA has contributed to the Victorian Government’s support for the addition of more than 4,000 jobs to the region’s workforce since the closure of the Hazelwood Mine and Power Station in 2016.
Ms Cain was instrumental in the development of the LVA and her collaboration with local trades and labour groups, government agencies and other local service providers enabled an immediate response and recovery following Hazelwood’s closure.
Her work has led to the delivery of projects which strive to create more jobs in the Latrobe Valley, including the Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre and Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.
Quote attributable to Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas
“We thank the inaugural Chief Executive Officer Karen Cain for her leadership of the LVA and for building an important foundation and supporting strong jobs growth for the region.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“The work of the LVA will be crucial to the next phase of transition and ongoing economic diversification in the Latrobe Valley. I am looking forward to working with the new Chief Executive Officer to build on what has already been achieved by the LVA.”
Reviewed 08 December 2021