Good afternoon. There have been further developments in the Hunter Valley wedding bus tragedy that killed 10 people and injured 25.
The bus driver has been identified as Brett Button, who was granted bail after a brief court appearance today. The magistrate said it was clear Button was “suffering”, as he sat with his head bowed during the appearance with members of his family in the court gallery – some of them in tears.
The court heard that Button had allegedly told passengers to “fasten your seatbelts” moments before the bus tipped. Button faces 10 charges of dangerous driving occasioning death and one charge of negligent driving in relation to all 10 deaths. As of writing, 14 people remained in hospital, two of whom were in intensive care.
Catch up on the latest on the bus tragedy here.
Top news
Tributes for bus crash victims | More details of the victims have emerged today, which included players from the local Singleton Roosters Australian Rules football club, a mother and daughter, a young athlete described as “a great bloke and a mate to many”, a young married couple from Queensland, and a former footballer with “a big heart and willingness to help anyone”. The tragedy has affected communities across eastern Australia, with friends and sporting clubs stretching from Queensland to Tasmania paying tribute.
Warning against fake GoFundMe pages | Alex Tigani, the Hunter River Times deputy editor who attended the Hunter Valley wedding affected by the bus crash, has issued a community alert warning people against donating to fake GoFundMe pages. “The official GoFundMe page is currently being set up by the Singleton Roosters AFC.”
Seatbelt laws face scrutiny | The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says he is open to legal changes on seatbelts, although what those changes look like are unclear given state road laws already require seatbelts to be worn if buses have them fitted. Experts say enforcing compliance on buses is a grey area and conventional seatbelts offer limited protection in a rollover.
Gallagher denies misleading parliament | The finance minister has told the Senate that she has “always acted ethically and with basic human decency on all matters” related to Brittany Higgins’s rape allegation. Gallagher has come under fire for telling Senate estimates in June 2021 that “no one had any knowledge” of Higgins’ allegation before it was aired, a statement called into question by leaked text exchanges between Higgins and her partner, David Sharaz.
Queensland’s record surplus | The Queensland government’s decision to increase royalties on record-high coal prices has contributed to an unexpected $10bn revenue windfall and a $12.3bn surplus. Here are the winners and losers from the state budget.
More people turning to Foodbank | The Victorian charity has recorded a 27% rise in distribution this year, as the cost of living crisis eats into people’s ability to put food on the table. The charity’s boss, David McNamara, says people are now seeking help in the “bastions of the middle class”.
NZ opposition leader’s hot mic | The would-be prime minister doesn’t seem to rate his country a great deal, referring to New Zealand as a “negative, wet and whiny” country that has “lost the plot”. Christopher Luxon, leader of the centre-right National party, was speaking to farmers about agricultural emissions when he was caught on microphone.
US Olympic champion died in childbirth | The body of the world champion sprinter Tori Bowie was found at her home in Orlando, Florida in May during “a wellbeing check of a woman … who had not been seen or heard from in several days”. Autopsy results reveal the 32-year-old died due to complications from childbirth.
‘Dead’ woman bangs on coffin at wake | Is there a worse nightmare than being buried alive? Luckily for 76-year-old Bella Montoya, she resumed consciousness just in time – banging the coffin at her wake in front of mourners until the lid was opened. “It gave us all a fright,” her son said. Montoya was admitted to hospital on Friday, after suffering a possible stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest. When she did not respond to resuscitation a doctor on duty declared her dead, Ecuador’s health ministry said.
US regulators move to block huge Microsoft acquisition | The Federal Trade Commission asked a court to temporarily block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which would be Microsoft’s largest and the biggest in the history of the video game industry. The FTC said the deal would give Microsoft the “ability and increased incentive to withhold or degrade Activision’s content in ways that substantially lessen competition”.
In video
Watch the moment Brett Button exited the police station in this 30-second video.
What they said …
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“I was provided with information in the days before the [Brittany Higgins] allegations were first reported, and I did nothing with that information, absolutely nothing. I was asked to keep it to myself, and I did … I did not mislead the Senate.” – Katy Gallagher
In numbers
Support is up one point on the previous poll.
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