Hunter Valley bus crash: UNSW professor slammed for comments on crash and Covid deaths

A university professor has been called out for creating a ‘disgusting’ tweet comparing media coverage of a fatal bus crash to that of people dying from Covid.

Ten people were killed when the bus they were in rolled onto a roundabout in the NSW Hunter Valley at 11:30pm on Sunday.

Those on board had attended Madeleine Edsell and Mitchell Gaffney’s wedding at the Wandin Valley Estate, while another 25 were injured on the bus, including two in critical condition.

Professor Deborah Lupton, from UNSW’s Center for Social Research in Health, responded to a tweet questioning why NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not commented on a recent rise in Covid-related deaths, but had spoken about the bus tragedy .

“You know what else is a shame? The MSM (mainstream media) are eagerly jumping on the clickbait narrative of the ‘tragic wedding crash’ while ignoring the ongoing COVID deaths every week,” she wrote.

“Unless the driver was harmed by COVID – he was arrested for driving on a safe, well-lit road.”

Prof Lupton responded to a tweet questioning why NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not commented on a recent spate of Covid-related deaths, but had spoken about the bus tragedy

Social media users were quick to condemn Prof Lupton’s comments, with one suggesting she delete it.

“What a disgusting tweet,” one person replied.

“Deb, this tweet is actually kind of disgusting. Not everything is COVID, maybe keep that in mind next time you tweet about horrific incidents that have affected so many people, stay in your lane,” said another.

“It wasn’t well lit, it was extremely foggy,” one comment read.

Others, meanwhile, defended the professor, saying it was sad that those who died from the virus didn’t get as much media attention as those involved in fatal accidents.

Prof Lupton regularly shares research and statistics on Covid infections and deaths.

In one tweet, she reposted a series of “hard, cold facts” about the virus that the media is “not reporting or misreporting.”

Acknowledging the tragedy of the bus crash, the professor said it should be reported on, but said the ‘real outrage’ was the ‘silence surrounding Australia’s ongoing Covid deaths’.

“Another issue is that we allow Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to appropriately express their concern about deaths in tragedies like this bus crash, but they are silent about the ongoing tragedy of Covid deaths,” she said.

Prof Lupton declined to comment further when Daily Mail Australia contacted him.

In the week to June 8, 81 people died with Covid in NSW.

Ten people were killed when the bus they were on rolled onto a roundabout in the NSW Hunter Valley at 11:30pm on Sunday

Bus driver Brett Andrew Button, 58, has been charged with 11 offences, including 10 counts of dangerous driving resulting in death, over the tragic accident

The total number of virus-related deaths in the state is over 7,100.

Bus driver Brett Andrew Button, 58, has been charged with 11 offences, including 10 counts of dangerous driving resulting in death, following Sunday’s accident.

He was released on parole on Tuesday.

Survivors claimed that Button made a spine-chilling boast to the 35 passengers on board just before he allegedly lost control of the vehicle.

Button reportedly said ‘if you think that was fast… look here’ over the vehicle’s internal microphone before the bus rolled into the exit of the Hunter Expressway in Greta, 115 miles north of Sydney.

On Tuesday morning, 14 people are still in hospital.

Seven of the dead are said to be from the nearby town of Singleton.

They include Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen, mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride, and Kyah’s friend Kane Symons.

Married couple Andrew and Lynan Scott, from Singleton, were also killed in the crash. They appear to have two children.

Angus Craig of Queensland and Zachary Bray of Byron Bay are also among the dead, as is Darcy Bulman of Victoria.