Brisbane teacher fined over COVID-19 vaccine fraud plot

A Brisbane woman charged with fraud for paying another woman to get the COVID-19 vaccine on her behalf has been fined $2000 after facing court in south-east Queensland today.

Chloe Kavanagh, from Redcliffe, was a casual teacher working for Education Queensland who faced losing her job when the vaccine mandate came into effect last year.

Using an online classified site, she met another woman willing to get the vaccine in her place in exchange for $1000.

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The plan came unstuck at the Kippa Ring Vaccination Hub in December when the woman pretending to be Ms Kavanagh was unable to pronounce her surname or recall her date of birth without referring to the drivers licence.

Turned away, the pair were successful later that day, obtaining a vaccination at a pharmacy in a nearby shopping centre.

Reading from a psychological report tendered to the court, Magistrate Mark Bucknall noted Ms Kavanagh had formed an obsession with the pandemic, adding "(people) are entitled to their views, but they're not entitled to undermine the public health directives."

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Ms Kavanagh's defence lawyer told the court she had a genuine fear the COVID-19 vaccine could kill her, but her doctor had declined to give her a medical exemption.

But the magistrate said the mandate for teachers had been based upon health advice.

"These are serious and concerning charges that undermine the whole public health policy... to protect not only people working in the system but children," Magistrate Bucknall said.

The other woman involved faced court for her role earlier this year.

Ms Kavanagh was fined $2000 with no conviction recorded.