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Sky News host Paul Murray says a report which "slipped through the cracks" today was the fact almost half of the $282 million in bushfire relief donations is still "sitting in the bank" of major charities in Australia.

It was reported on Tuesday, bushfire donations topped $282 million to three major charities but almost half is still in the bank that destroyed this summer and so many lives

Reporting done by the ABC has shown $216 million was donated to the Red Cross while $111 million has been spent.

While $43 million was donated to the Salvation Army and $22.4 million has been spent and $22.9 million was donated to St Vincent de Paul while $13.5 million has been spent.

"Put that together and $135 million dollars is still in the bank," Mr Murray said.

He said "Australians were very generous and gave hundreds of millions of dollars to bushfire relief charities at the height of the fires ... but what you're seeing here is an ugly side of the charity business model".

"If you're living in a caravan right now, do you want to wait 18 months for the money that's been donated by Australians?"

"Or do you want that money now."

"I want Australians to keep giving money to charity because charities are important ... but it is also important that charity does its bit and spends money that it is donated for the specific purposes that it is sent".

Image: News Corp Australia