Advertisement

Woman accused of issuing fake vaccine exemptions speaks out: 'Done nothing wrong'

A woman arrested accused of pretending to be a doctor and issuing fake medical exemption certificates for Covid-19 believes she hasn’t done anything wrong.

The woman, 45, was arrested in Labrador on the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning after officers executed a search warrant, Queensland police said. It’s alleged she issued about 600 fake exemption certificates which purported to provide exemption from Covid-19 vaccinations, tests and face masks.

Nine News and News Corp named the woman as Maria Power also known as Maria Pau.

She told news.com.au she had “done nothing wrong”.

“They took my laptop, they took my phones, they took everything, and all I’m simply doing is protecting the people that don’t want to suffer the adverse effects of Covid-19 PCR tests,” she said.

Maria Pau, 45, aka Maria Power is pictured.
Maria Pau, 45, aka Maria Power was arrested accused of handing out fake Covid-19 exemption certificates. Source: Facebook

Ms Pau has been charged under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law with five counts of taking a title indicating a person is a health practitioner.

Her Facebook URL uses the title “Dr” in it and she signed off a number of posts with “Dr M Power”.

Ms Pau also published a number of posts advising people about Covid-19 vaccines and filmed herself at an anti-lockdown rally in Brisbane in July with a t-shirt emblazoned with “The Great Awakening” printed across it.

She denied being an anti-vaxxer but said she had concerns about "people with really informed consent".

Detective Acting Inspector Damien Powell told reporters Ms Pau is "basically anti-Covid".

She is the first person in Queensland to be charged with this offence, police said.

Ms Pau will face Southport Magistrates Court on October 28.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play