Until two months ago, many of you hadn't heard of the comedian Celeste Barber I had because I watched one of her great shows the letdown, which is about new mothers.

But if you hadn't heard of her, then you certainly would have.

By now.

Her fundraising effort has been the single most successful one around the world.

$52 million.

The generosity is just amazing, and that figure is expected to climb even higher because today, Baba publicly called for more donations at the Firefight Australia Bush Fry Relief concert that she hosted in Sydney.

Ozzy's We've been together because way have to look after each other because it turns out people of the top dog.

So we need to look after each other, just incredible show.

And as I said, we'll bring you more of that in a moment.

But the problem is, The Sunday Telegraph revealed today that the 52 million that's already been raised is just sitting there untouched.

Not a dollar of it has been seen by the families by the communities or by the firefighters who need it the most, and they're all still struggling.

These local communities are desperate, and I know this is gonna make all of you angry, especially if you're one of the hundreds of thousands who kindly gave your hard earned cash to those in need.

So why is this money sitting there untouched?

Because the rural Fire service is refusing to allow Celeste Barber to give the money to families or firefighters or even other charities on her social media pages.

Father initially said the donations would go to the orifice.

But then is the cash just unexpectedly poured in higher than even she had ever dreamt off.

She changed the terms of her appeal and said the funds would be shared with the Victorian and South Australian firefighting agencies.

Animal animal welfare groups like wires, the Red Cross on the widows of fire is who have lost their lives.

I think it's just hit May.

It's not money that you have older dated on her Instagram page in January, Celeste Barba said.

Quite it's going to the R.

F s and it will be distributed out.

I'm going to make sure that Victoria gets some South Australia get some on also families of people who have died in these fires on the wildlife, she said.

I get it, I get it all.

I'm hearing you all.

I want you to know that otherwise, why raise this money if it's not going to go to the paper who absolutely need it?

And that's the question that is the question, but the orifice standing in her way.

They say the money should only be spent on firefighting equipment and facilities, providing training and resources, and to meet the administrative expensive expenses of their organization.

They say that none of the money can be donated to the families communities all shared with other charities like the Red Cross or the animal welfare groups.

The Lord Done actually allow us to resist tribute donated sons to other terrible organization.

So we're just working through that moment now, Jack I'm offered in The Sunday Telegraph reports today that Celeste Barber has already met with the orifice bosses and presumably in ends the commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, over this issue, and now she's had to hire a team of lawyers to try and sort out this dispute so it's now lawyers dealing with lawyers at the orifice.

Now remember the orifice commissioner is Shane Fitzsimmons, the same man who didn't want the military to come in and help the communities.

And eventually Scott Morrison, you know, is it changed the rules and and said that the ADF was going in to help whether he wants it or not.

This is also the same man who didn't allow some farmers to clear their land even with excavators, before the fires hit and I had a firefighter on my show.

You'll remember Martin Tebbit a couple of weeks ago who spoke about this, and he exchanged correspondence personally with Shane Fitzsimmons on this issue.

He was not allowed to clear his land, and then his property got torched.

The R F s chief, Shane Fitzsimmons, has given dozens of interviews pretty much every other day over the past couple of months, even did a soft profile piece for nine newspapers where he spoke about his family upbringing.

But would he come on tonight to answer tough questions about why this money is being held up?

Why it's not flowing through two families, not a chance on our office, spokesman said he was unavailable this whole weekend.

R.

F S and Shane Fitzsimmons.

It's time to cut the red tape, get your act together and allow Celeste Barber, who has done an amazing job, an extraordinary job collecting this amount of money, decide where it goes.

The families who are suffering need to start getting some financial help.

This is just not good enough.