Good afternoon. The Hunter Valley is reeling after a devastating bus crash in the New South Wales wine region last night.
Locals were laying flowers at the scene of the crash on Monday as they woke to the horrific news that the bus, carrying dozens of wedding guests, had crashed at a roundabout near the town of Greta, killing 10 people and injuring more than 20.
The crash came after the wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Maddy Edsell, who had moved to the region from Melbourne some years ago. The pair wed at the Wandin Valley Estate winery on Sunday night and their celebrant described them as “beautiful people” who married in a “beautiful ceremony”.
Top news
Bus driver in custody after Hunter Valley crash | The driver of the bus that crashed in the Hunter Valley was taken into custody by police, who on Monday afternoon said they were “in the charging process”. A crime scene was declared at the site of the crash. The people on the bus were travelling to their accommodation in Singleton after celebrating a wedding at Wandin Valley Estate in Lovedale. Commissioner Karen Webb said working out what happened “is going to take time”.
Albanese and Minns offer condolences | The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, were among the many to express their condolences over the Hunter Valley tragedy. Acting police commissioner Tracy Chapman said first responders had faced “a confronting and very traumatic scene”.
Murder charges laid after death of WA police officer | A man has been charged with murder after he was accused of driving a car that ran over and killed a West Australian police officer. Constable Anthony Woods died in hospital on Sunday night after being placed in an induced coma after the incident on Thursday. Reagan Ainsley Chown, 23, was charged with multiple offences and will face court on 7 July.
Folbigg pardon sparks calls for review body | Kathleen Folbigg’s pardon and release has renewed calls for a criminal cases review commission. Folbigg, 55, was pardoned last week by the NSW attorney general after spending 20 years in prison over the deaths of her four children. Experts say the case shows there is a need for an independent body to investigate possible miscarriages of justice in Australia to avoid a repeat of Folbigg’s nightmare.
Snowy Hydro to resume boring within weeks | Snowy Hydro is hoping it will be able to resume boring on its main tunnel, pending new environment approvals from the NSW government in the coming weeks. Work on a 17km tunnel that will link a future underground power station to Tantangara dam in the Kosciuszko national park has been stalled since December after a boring machine – dubbed Florence – got stuck in unexpectedly soft rock just 70 metres in.
AFL player on bail after burglary charges | Richmond’s Marlion Pickett has been granted bail after being held in custody in Perth overnight, charged over a series of alleged burglaries. Police remanded Pickett on Sunday, alleging he was involved in a number of commercial burglaries. A police prosecutor on Monday told a court the alleged offending by Pickett and others involved a series of commercial burglaries resulting in the theft of more than $380,000 in Australian and foreign currencies from safes.
Philippines’ most active volcano spews lava | Thousands of people are on heightened alert after the Philippines’ most active volcano, Mount Mayon, began spewing lava on Sunday. More than 12,000 villagers have left their homes so far, with authorities maintaining a 6km evacuation radius after the volcano began showing signs of renewed restlessness last week.
UN concerned by ‘discrepancy’ at Ukraine nuclear plant | The UN atomic watchdog has said it requires wider access around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to check “a significant discrepancy” in water level data at the breached Kakhovka dam used for cooling the plant’s reactors.
Radio New Zealand investigates pro-Russia reports | An employee at Radio New Zealand has been placed on leave amid an investigation into whether reports on the Ukrainian war were being rewritten with a pro-Russia slant. Evidence emerged last week that a number of articles, attributed to the Reuters wire service or the BBC, had been edited by someone at RNZ to add new sentences and paragraphs, which were described by the broadcaster’s chief executive as “pro-Kremlin garbage”.
What your grip says about your health | Strong hands help with everything from opening jars to swinging a racket. And weak ones? They can warn of trouble far beyond the kitchen or tennis court, experts say.
Full Story
Are supermarkets price gouging in a cost-of-living crisis?
Australia’s big supermarkets have increased profit margins throughout the pandemic, and some critics have accused them of “excessive pricing”. In response, Woolworths and Coles argue their promotional items show they are protecting customers from some of the price hikes – but are they actually a good deal? Senior business reporter Jonathan Barrett explores the issue in today’s Full Story.
What they said …
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“The state woke up this morning to hear devastating news in an area that we normally associate with so much happiness and joy. Whatever the final toll is in this accident, it will be more than we can bear.” – NSW premier Chris Minns on the Hunter Valley bus crash
In numbers
Mount Mayon, the Philippines’ most active volcano, began spewing lava on Sunday, prompting the establishment of a 6km evacuation radius.
Before bed read
Italian migrants in Ingham are fighting to keep their history alive, as the Australian Italian festival in northern Queensland struggles to find young volunteers to step in for ageing first-generation migrants.
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