A MAN

ByLuke Costin, Samantha Lock and Phoebe Loomes in Cessnock

BRETT Button faced Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday charged with 10 counts of deadly dangerous driving.

The 58-year-old was behind the wheel of a bus carrying 35 wedding guests when it flipped and smashed in the NSW Hunter Valley on Sunday night.

Nine passengers were killed at the scene and another died on the way to hospital, where survivors are still being treated.

Button was mobbed by a throng of reporters when he emerged from the courthouse wearing a black beanie and clutching a reusable shopping bag.

Magistrate Robyn Richardson expressed concerns for Button’s wellbeing and granted him parole despite police opposition.

She said passenger statements about Button’s behaviour in the lead up to the crash made for a strong prosecution case, but his family ties and bail conditions reduced the risk of absconding or witness tampering.

Button is accused of driving dangerously fast in thick fog and telling passengers to “fasten your seatbelts” moments before losing control at a roundabout and smashing into a guard rail before the bus tipped and crashed.

The magistrate said Button was clearly suffering along with the rest of the community.

His case returns to court in August.

Police are still working to contact the families of those killed, with victims spread across three states.

However, the close-knit regional town of Singleton has borne the brunt of the tragedy, with seven locals killed in the crash including junior doctor Rebecca Mullen.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the young doctor’s life had been taken too soon.

“This has made a very dark day even darker for NSW Health,” he told reporters.

Singleton mother Nadene McBride and daughter Kyah McBridge were also killed in the crash, with her husband being treated in hospital.

Husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott also died, leaving behind two young children.

Singleton mayor Sue Moore said the small community was struggling to come to terms with the extent of the loss, given so many people had connections with victims.

The crash was a tragic end to the fairytale wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell, both members of the Singleton Roosters footy club.

The tragedy has sparked a national debate about seatbelt laws, with several states open to tougher rules in a bid to improve passenger safety.

It’s unclear whether passengers in the Hunter Valley crash were wearing seatbelts but speaking in general terms, NSW Premier Chris Minns said it was the driver’s responsibility to ensure passengers buckled up.

He said counselling centres had opened in Singleton and Branxton to help anyone affected by the tragedy.

“Everybody in the state has been really traumatised by these terrible events,” Mr Minns said.

Speaking in federal parliament, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked frontline workers for supporting the injured and their families, and offered condolences to everyone impacted.

“The hard truth is that mental and emotional scars of this will not fade with time – they will live with people forever,” he said.

“To everyone who has been touched by this tragedy, I do want you to know that Australia wraps our arms around you.”

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