The service didn’t enter the park last Friday and on Monday afternoon used the roads around the park’s outskirts along with other responsible motorists avoiding the temptation of the ‘rat run’.

I was ready to commend Rover Coaches for its prompt action until the bus returned Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.

Can the company explain why these services from East Maitland to Cessnock continue straying from the published specified route (for school routes 853/854) of the New England Highway and Cessnock Road and entering Maitland Park?

Is this deviation approved by Transport for NSW and comply with the company’s safety management system required by Roads and Maritime Services, which includes public risk as part of the safety assessment?

Removing a heavy vehicle from a 25 km/h public park where the bus was merely taking a ‘short cut’ to avoid traffic is vital to ensure pedestrian and road safety.

I acknowledge the professionalism of Hunter Valley Buses’ drivers, who despite the challenging traffic conditions have remained on the highway.

The presence of highway patrol officers in the park area late last week was also appreciated, but, the driver behaviour that I continue to see requires further urgent police enforcement.

As a result, I have written to the Transport and Roads Ministers as well as the Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter to focus their attention to addressing the weekday peak period delays caused by the railway roundabout.

Maitland, is this the standard we’re prepared to accept in our premier family recreation and sporting park – buses, light trucks and utes towing trailers through Maitland Park to save a couple of minutes at the end of each day?

Ministers, over to you.

Urological patients requiring overnight care can no longer have their operations at Maitland and Cessnock hospitals.

Where and when are these patients going to get their operations done given there is no extra operating lists at the Royal Newcastle Centre (including patients with cancer)?

As a resident of Maitland this concerns me. For the last 20 years we have been able to access Urological surgery at the Maitland and Cessnock hospitals.

Perhaps Brad Hazzard, the Minister for Health can resolve the situation so that people of the Lower Hunter can have their surgery at their local hospital safely and in a timely fashion once more. 

I’ve been in Toowoomba for the past couple of days chairing hearings of the Joint Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation.

Australians living in our big cities are experiencing crippling commute times, overcrowded public transport, school shortages and an undersupply of affordable housing. 

Our population is expected to hit almost 40 million by 2050. I think it makes good economic sense to support local businesses, local entrepreneurs and local people. Strong regional economies, pathways through education towards employment, and future-proof industries are vital.

The relocation of Government departments to non-metropolitan areas may be a viable path if the industry is a good fit with the community. 

Whatever we choose, it’s clear we need a national population policy.