Woman charged

It is alleged she lit a fire under a bed in the room she had been sharing with two children on Sunday morning.

More than 160 people were evacuated as fire took hold in the 11-storey Pacific Hotel. No-one was injured.

It came as Australia confirmed two cases of the new coronavirus variant which is prompting new restrictions.

Omicron was first reported by South Africa, and has been classified as "of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO) with early evidence suggesting a higher re-infection risk.

Maha Al-Shennag drove a Toyota Kluger into a classroom of 24 students at Banksia Road Public School about 9:45am, injuring more than 20 people.

Two boys who were critically injured in the incident later died in Westmead Children's Hospital.

Two eight-year-old girls were also taken to Westmead in a stable condition, and one nine-year-old girl was taken in a serious condition.

It is understood Ms Al-Shennag's son is a student at the school.

Police will examine the vehicle involved to determine whether there were any mechanical problems.