THE DRIVER at the centre of the Greta bus tragedy will front Newcastle court in person for the first time today.
Brett Andrew Button faces 89 charges, including 10 counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, stemming from the horror June 11 crash at Greta.
The 59-year-old has been excused from attending court in person since he was first released on bail by a magistrate at Cessnock Local Court the day after the crash, which killed 10 wedding guests.
During a mention in Newcastle Local Court in January, when 26 additional charges were levelled against Button, magistrate Ian Cheetham ordered him to attend court in person on Wednesday, March 13.
"He has to be here," Mr Cheetham said at the time.
Button has not yet had to enter any pleas to the charges.
When he does, he will either be committed to the district court for trial or for sentencing.
Button has remained on strict bail conditions since he was released from police custody the day after the Hunter Valley crash in June 2023, including not to drink alcohol and not to drive.
Button is accused of being behind the wheel of a bus carrying passengers from Wandin Estate to the newlywed's hometown of Singleton when it rolled at Greta on the night of June 11 last year.
The court has previously heard Button said "fasten your seatbelts" just before the bus crashed and hit a guard rail on Wine Country Drive.
Ten people died and dozens of others were injured, including from the Singleton Roosters Australian Football Club.
The tragedy was Australia's worst road disaster in decades and sent shockwaves across the nation.
