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Charity rumours; Tania hits back

Posted on July 20, 2011

NOTHING will stop Tania Zaetta from trying to improve the lives of innocent children who continue to be affected by the ravages of war.

Tania Zaetta

The Merbein girl says so herself in a statement released this week through her solicitor and management company in the wake of controversy surrounding the Queensland-based Peace for the Children charity.

Her statement, she says, is in reply to stories circulating in the print and online media implying that the charity has (a) been forcibly shut down by a government authority, and (b) That Tania has been charged in relation to fund-raising in without a licence, and that she faces fines of more than $6000.

Solicitor Clinton Smith told the Mildura Weekly the clear implication through the media articles and stories was that there had been some impropriety on behalf of Peace for the Children directors, including Tania, with respect to the use of funds raised by the charity.

Speaking on her behalf, Mr Smith says the statements, suggestions and implications were untrue. The Charity has not closed down, nor been fined.

“In March, 2011, when the directors became aware that PFTC was not recorded in the Register of Charities in Queensland as had been directed and instructed by them, they Immediately and voluntarily suspended the operations of Peace for the Children,” he said.

“They commissioned an audit of the fund, and liaised and fully cooperated with officers of the Office of Fair Trading, producing to that office the accounts of the fund and the audit report.

“The audit report verifies that the fund has been operated in a proper manner, and no charges have been preferred against any directors or the charity.”

In a statement released through Andrew Taylor Management, Tania said she was saddened and disappointed at the media releases concerning herself and the charity, saying her ongoing charitable work “comes from a place in her heart.”

“As one of the directors of the charity, Tania, along with charity colleagues, has devoted an enormous amount of time in the last two years to help raise awareness of, and assist with fund raising for, child victims of war-torn countries,” the statement said.

“Tania has not had any involvement in the charity’s day-to-day business and administration, with such matters being attended to by Grant Hilton and other business associates.

“Tania’s duties as one of the directors has been primarily that of fund-raising, event organising and promotions, and working alongside other prominent members of the community who share the same passion and hopes for improving conditions of children living in areas of conflict.

“Regardless of these allegations, Tania and the directors are dedicated to fund-raising, and continuing their efforts to assist and improve the lives of innocent children affected by war, and encouraging peace building in war-ravaged countries.”

Tania said she wasn’t able to make more expansive comments at this point on the PFTC allegations due to the charity’s solicitor currently pursuing defamation with the relevant media legal departments on behalf of herself and the charity. But she did tell the Mildura Weekly yesterday that while the claims were disappointing, and which she felt had caused “irreparable damage to her name and credibility,” she was confident all would work out well, and she intended to keep “working with a smile,” doing the jobs she loves, and continuing her charity work.

She said one example of how Peace for the Children helped the children of the world was when she received a photograph from an Australian volunteer worker in East Timor, showing children playing basketball with a squashed ball…, LEFT, the charity organised a box of 50 basketballs and other sporting goods to be sent to Cassa Village, in Ainaro district.

Tania also spoke of the many Tibetan children who had been orphaned or separated from their families during their escape from their homeland during periods of conflict.

Tibetan children in exile in India last Christmas received presents of clothes, books and pens from Peace For The Children. “They’re very grateful for the opportunity to attend school, and now have much-needed materials to help fulfill their dreams of an education,” Tania said.

She told the Mildura Weekly she wouldn’t be bullied or pressured into giving up something that is in her heart, and said that keeping up a busy schedule would help keep her mind off all the negatives of the recent publicity.

That includes her pending return to the screen, appearing with Lara Bingle, Derryn Hinch and Russell Gilbert, in the Keep Australia Beautiful TV promotion ‘Litterers Anonymous,” which she said would make people laugh as it encouraged them to bin their rubbish.

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