NARK Smear campaign takes to Facebook
NARK Smear campaign takes to
By DigitalMaori on February 1, 2013
N.A.R.K. was founded by Cherie Kurarangi Sweeney after being branded a ‘nark’ for speaking to police about the death of Ngaruawahia baby Serenity Scott-Dinnington. Cherie turned this label around into the Nation of Advocates for the Rights of Kids.
The following is a media release from the organisation.
Nark wishes to clarify that concerns about financial management of the group, soon to file for charitable status are unfounded. Rumors of scamming stem from teething problems within the group that came to a head with a walk out by one faction of volunteers but no monies are unaccounted for.
Reimbursement had been sought for t-shirts allegedly ordered but no-one could produce so much as an invoice or receipt for said items.
The Founder Mrs Sweeney says she couldn’t find one shop carrying an order for Nark logo t-shirts after e-mailing all printers, so the request for “reimbursement” for alleged personal outgoings for t-shirts of which there was no proof of existence from the former Treasurer requesting recompense was denied by the Interim Board. As was a volunteers request for some form of wage well before that was viable or NARK a registered entity.
The former Treasurer’s complaints to the Herald this past weekend are invalid – the Board exercised diligence in requiring accountability.
Nark acknowledges public concern over our Founders appeal on Facebook (reproduced in Trade Me by another well meaning person) to help her to prevent a mortgagee sale of her house, by gifting to her $2 – only if they could afford it. Her ability to meet payments was affected by the onset of epilepsy in August 2010, which wasn’t stabilised until October.
Although the mortgage appeal was a personal matter whereby Cherie had requested help from “only my friends and family and no-one else” Mrs Sweeney regrets any negative fall out this may have had on the organization (which had no prior knowledge of her appeal). “I acted on a suggestion from the budget advisory service to ask for help, and was desperate to safe guard the future of my Whanau”.
NARK’s Interim Board is dismayed that this matter has been jumped upon by an internet based gang to spearhead a campaign to smear this young role models good name, and to discredit the reputation of her fledgling organization – the Nation of Advocates for Rights of Kids (NARK).
Inaccurate reports about NARK’s finances are rife on the internet lately. The harassment has culminated in a particularly vicious and possibly defamatory blog write up by Ms Raue (Transparency NZ).
The blog titled “nark-what-kind-of-organisation-is-this” is rich on casting rumor based aspersions. Ms Raue plays Judge, Jury and Executioner in publishing this rubbish; “if you question Ms Cherie Sweeney she responds not with answers, but with malicious lies. How interesting. This is starting to look like fraud, or the best case scenario – major incompetence? Cherie is a fraud? Cherie is trying to get her snout in the trough…” It disregards all the facts Mrs Sweeney and the Nark board have tirelessly supplied on demand.
As published by Stuff last week Mrs Sweeney has never had any of the Public’s contributions to Nark in her personal account, nor did she ever make unauthorized use of it for issues unrelated to critical tasks for the running of the group. Nark funds were used judiciously by her with Board approval to attend one Hui with Dr Russell Wills for the consultation and Submission on the green paper and related community matters.
The interim board has seen no evidence of dishonest practices by Mrs Sweeney, and is concerned the witch hunt in motion could unfairly erode support, just as Nark adds finishing touches to a Constitution that will take the campaign to the next level and shortly enable Charities Commission registration. “The balance sheet balances, our income has not been large so any discrepancies would leap out but nothing does – there was no great t-shirt robbery” says Mrs Sweeney.
Regarding the non provision of 9 total t-shirt orders actually paid for by supporters out of a list of 29 interested parties, but not supplied with them (due to minimum order numbers for print runs being unmet), Mrs Sweeney personally saw to it that all buyers were offered and given refunds out of the $529 that others had collected once it was retrieved from volunteers personal accounts and put in Narks new CTU one. Accounts show this was sorted within about a month with four of the disappointed buyers up-taking the offer and the remainder leaving funds in as donations.
Katrina Crews, one former volunteer directly involved with the project, has publicly stated that “AT NO TIME did Cherie have access to those (t-shirt) funds donated to the nark interim account. She did not misuse those funds.” (posted to Cherie Nark NZ Show Us the Money Facebook Page). There was no great t-shirt robbery, the Board can assure the Public.
To address many murmurings about Nark funds going into multiple accounts, the monies for these t-shirts were moved about a bit prior to refund, and placed in a couple of volunteers personal accounts who went ahead and set up temporary accounts without even being requested to do so, as different people took over the t-shirt project from one another, only because NARK had not evolved an organizational or Governance structure as quickly as the community had rallied to support it.
It was not Mrs Sweeney who came up with several initial fundraising ideas nor who set up the Give a Little page,”I just accepted the help offered from all directions, and it has been a big learning curve”. NARK had no official NZCU bank account at that time and things happened on an ad hoc informal basis, so naturally there were no monthly account statements or balance sheets collated as a matter of course early on.
Narks board was able to acquire from those volunteers banking early Nark funds their personal statements detailing amounts collected from Westpac Glen Eden account of first funds banker, the National Bank Stratford account of appointed Treasurer who took over banking role as well as the financial summaries from the net fundraising site Give a Little.
To avoid repeats of responsibility being everywhere and nowhere (such as with the t-shirt debacle) an account specifically for NARK and under control of an elected Treasurer was thereafter opened.
Bank Statements show deposits from funds raised at the Toy Memorial Day totaling $873, all accounted for. So what other funds has NARK collected that may have been fraudulently siphoned off by a baby exploiting founder? The minutes taken at a meeting 19.09,2011 with Cherie Sweeney and four other Officers/volunteers present mention that monies (which remain untouched) had been accumulating at the give-a-little site web site (Weekly report on NARK week ending 17,09,2011). A BBQ fundraiser idea was floated with two Nark members keen to run them (not Sweeney).
The funds raised at one of these BBQs were stolen from the bag of an organizers friend so they were never received by Nark or Mrs Sweeney. Police said they were powerless, given that there was no such legal entity as NARK due to lack of registration with the charities commission, it was a civil matter. Nark could not responsibly fritter funds pursuing it.
This incident (atop other difficulties getting volunteers to properly apply collected funds e.g. to buy/supply t-shirts as promised) has strengthened the interim boards resolve to register as a charity as soon as is practicable. In the meantime the Public can be assured that Nark operates as per usual protocols for any Trust, with elected Officers, and proper book keeping.
Nark now has an interim board committed to best governance practices that will continue to champion the rights of children.
Nark’s founder wishes to acknowledge the board and others who have given her support in helping to bring these matters to a close.
Admin Notes: Nothing new here just what has been already shown on our previous posts. Still no evidence.
Response of the News Article Post link on our Facebook Page:
Today’s article.
NARK Smear campaign takes to Facebook – TangataWhenua.com
news.tangatawhenua.com
N.A.R.K. was founded by Cherie Kurarangi Sweeney after being branded a ‘nark’ for speaking to police about the death of Ngaruawahia baby Serenity Scott-Dinnington. Cherie turned this label around into the Nation of Advocates for the Rights of Kids.
-
Princess Mandula not a smear campaign. . people want to know what cherie did with our donations of money. . its not a lot to ask as it should all be documented and receipts provided and available for all to see. . that ain’t a smear campaign to want answers to legitimate questions -
Lisa Sullivan There’s no new information there, same old spin from Roberta and still no answers. Why are they not registered yet, tell me again? -
Princess Mandula they promised transparency and all they do is come up with excuses. . they must of spent hours thinking them up instead of helping the kids
-
Lisa Sullivan Won’t say what I really think as its not constructive but yeah pretty much Princess Mandula
-
Sarah Kieran What I find extremely interesting is that we were all apart of Nark to begin with, until questions were raised and suspicious circumstances could no longer be ignored. There is absolutely no reason to be against an organisation that helps children in need. Unless it’s not legitimate… -
Princess Mandula and many were booted out for asking where the money went. .
-
Lisa Sullivan Yes we left for a reason, we ran as fast as we could in the other direction.
-
Princess Mandula a lot of good people left and the heart went from nark . . now its empty and soulless
-
Emma Hartley lol wow that seems like so long ago. i got kicked out for asking about her hubby being a sexual offender then told she will take me to the cops for slander coz i posted the link to the NZ offenders website and a article that had a pic of him in his mob patch.. still waiting for their call lol -
Lisa Sullivan Its because the people that were the movers and shakers and backbone are gone, including all the members who actually sparked intelligent debate and concerns.
-
Sarah Kieran And did all the work
-
Princess Mandula they busy Emma. . thinking up excuses
-
Sarah Kieran Also the whole “waiting for answers” thing has really been diverted into a pretend hate campaign against nark and Cherie, which in turn,let’s them off without answering the questions while we are painted as jealous or bullies.
-
Sarah Kieran Jealousy, bullying and any sort of “me game” should not be involved in any legitimate organisation for vulnerable kids.
-
Princess Mandula they really are stupid. . any one above board would happily show the books to answer questions. . but guess they still cooking the books
-
Sarah Kieran Personally, I’m not waiting for any answers. In not answering – I have their answers.
-
Who is Cherie Sweeney from NARK.Org.nz? At least ladies we have it all recorded, yes its a definitely a very sad situation, especially for those who worked so hard for the cause then were blamed for things they did not do by Nark and Ms Cherie (Whatever her name is?). But at least we are all well aware now. And for that, we can all be grateful -
Lisa Sullivan Its not just about the money is it? There’s many issues that are not answered. Charitable status is not that hard to achieve – idiots!
-
Sarah Kieran Lesson learnt! I took it for granted that no one would take advantage of the children in need.
-
Princess Mandula yes and that those that did all the work have gone no to found their charity and get it registered and is all above board lol
-
Lisa Sullivan Oh I know totally Sarah, me too!
-
Princess Mandula exactly Sarah
-
Princess Mandula thought if you had convictions you could not be no the board of the charity. .
-
Sarah Kieran We were like the many others that come on this page. Defend Cherie and Nark to the last. If this had happened in the first few months of Nark I am sure we’d be defending the organisation too. It’s just that we know more that these people do at this stage.
-
Lisa Sullivan Her hubby or partner wasn’t on the board, I do not know about the others’ convictions or otherwise. I know I don’t have any.
-
Princess Mandula I’ve never understood her getting her child to beg for money to save their house. . that poor child. .
-
Sarah Kieran I don’t know much about that, but it certainly doesn’t look good for someone running a supposed charity for children in need. I don’t want to look like I’m personally out to get anyone. As I am not at all. I just want people who don’t have the best interests and ONLY interest at the centre of their organisation to stop the dishonesty and walk away with tails between their legs.
-
All we have ever wanted is the truth and evidence. It should be quite simple but its coming close to a year now and nothing in the slightest from Nark and Cherie. Everyone has the right to be concerned and everyone is more then welcome to express it with out being bullied, attacked or other. This is a safe page where you can tell your personal stories and also those who are needing what information we can find, because this affects us all. We will continue to wait.
-
Admin , I have watched this page since it’s inception.On your original page I was interested in what you had to say and still understand what you are asking.But it has to be said this really is beginning to look like a hate page. I am also at a loss as to why Cherie Kurarangi From-Nark is now commenting on this page, although of course this is what this page has been asking for from the beginning. Cherie one could ask if your posting which lets your friends see on their ticker , is so you get some much needed publicity. Are your interim team aware that you are doing this when after all you are still the figurehead of NARK and should only be making public comments which affect your organisation with your teams blessing and public support.I understand how you feel attacked, this could have been avoided, this matter put to bed with a simple post many months ago by a chartered accountant. Also the question of being a registered charity could have been easily sorted by actually doing it . As for this page, it is a shame that children have had their faces made public on this page , it is irrelevant that these have been obtained from another source or page. But if your concern was so real for these children your legal responsibility according to the act would have been to notify the authorities, not spread these faces which could have been hidden and this page still make it’s point -
Thank you Mary Maygood, this isn’t a “hate page” as we have said many times before (it gets tiring to keep repeating ourselves) , and yes, we do remember you on our other pages. You along with everyone are asking important questions and along with many we are requiring the answers that we are most certainly entitled too. The children that have been posted are from the Napier Chapter that Ms Cherie is quite familiar with, also its all over the web. The reason why we posted it, is for Cherie to explain it and stop turning a blind eye to what’s going on within her own gang. (Which she is well experienced with and also knows that this is the children’s life they are living.) This is Abuse of Children who have no choice but to live, grow and learn in that environment, this is natural to them). Children have no choice but Adults do. Cherie has said she will find out and we have asked her as well. Again, us as administrators will not make our selves a target of her or her gang, we will not put our families and children at risk. Reporting requires details of the person, who has obviously reported the abuse. Mary Maygood if that is your real name, please report this along with anyone else who can help please. This is a real concern that needs to be addressed and not swept under the carpet, Even if they are gangs. Every Child needs to be in a safe, loving and positive environment. As for the one child in the picture, you know this has been online since the beginning. Child Abuse is a major concern, and should never be ignored. Thank you Admin.
Posted by Truth Seeker NZ at Monday, February 04, 2013
Cherie Nark NZ (Show NZ the Money!)
cherienarknz 