Qld: Punjab Place name to stay

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2009
Qld: Punjab Place name to stay

BRISBANE, Aug 13 AAP - A street south of Brisbane will keep its multicultural name
after a petition to change it sparked criticism.

Residents in the Logan city suburb of Boronia Heights signed a petition to change a
street name from "Punjab Place" to "Oak Tree Place".

The proposal came from the directors of the Oak Tree Lifestyle Retirement Village,
which dominates the street.

But director Marco De Pasquale said he had withdrawn the petition from Logan City Council
after negative publicity.

Mr De Pasquale said the change was only proposed as a tool to promote the village,
not because the name "Punjab" was disliked.

"It's a lesson to us and we will learn from it and will be more sensitive in future,"

he told AAP.

Premier Anna Bligh said the street name represented the state's multicultural make-up.

"One of the greatest strengths of our people is that they come from all over the world,
from all parts of the earth," she told reporters.

"... They're very welcome and that should be reflected in the public life of our state,
whether it's street signs or in other ways."

AAP jmm/pjo/ht

KEYWORD: PUNJAB

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