Thomas Kelly's father defends being paid half of charity's takings

The father of Sydney coward-punch victim Thomas Kelly has defended the $125,000 salary he earns as head of the charity founded in the wake of his son's death.

Ralph Kelly was paid $125,574 in the last financial year, which accounts for more than half of the $243,000 the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation (TKYF) raised last year.

But Mr Kelly defended his salary and said the annual report financial figures did not reflect the good work of the charity.

"My salary was approved by all of the board members [and] all of the directors and it was disappointing to see that [the Daily Telegraph] reported that without waiting to speak to the directors or myself," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr Kelly said $540,000 the Salvation Army received this year for its anti-street violence project was organised through the TKYF.

"The majority of these funds are paid directly to the Salvation Army under an arrangement with TKYF and its sponsors," he said.

The Salvation Army's Take Kare Safe Spaces program is a volunteer-driven program formed to help drunk and vulnerable youth in Sydney's CBD and Kings Cross.

The TKYF had to shut down its website and Facebook page after being flooded with abuse since news of his salary was published by the Daily Telegraph yesterday.

Eighteen-year-old Thomas Kelly was killed by a random and unprovoked one-punch attack in Kings Cross in July 2012.