Any individuals found guilty of the "offence" of having gay relations will be stoned to death. Any individuals found guilty of the "offence" of having gay relations will be stoned to death.... The Queensland Government has denied it spent any taxpayers’ money on luring a controversial Brunei airline to the state - just weeks after a minister boasted the new route had been secured by using a special aviation fund. A Royal Brunei Airlines statement in January confirmed it was starting a new four-times-a-week service to Brisbane, something Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said was a “win for Queensland”. Brunei is facing strong international backlash after it introduced ancient Islamic criminal laws on Wednesday which allows for gay people to be stoned to death. It also imposes the death penalty for adulterers and amputation of hands and feet for thieves. The laws apply to Muslims, non-Muslim and foreigners — even those who are transiting on aircraft and vessels registered in Brunei. At the time of the announcement, acting Tourism Industry Development Minister Di Farmer said the flights had been secured through the Palaszczuk Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAFE). But as thousands of Australians sign a petition demanding the airline’s landing rights in Australia be rescinded - and as global condemnation grows against Brunei’s barbaric new laws - the Queensland Government has backed away from the deal with Royal Brunei Airlines. Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said: “We suspended negotiations with Royal Brunei as soon as we learnt about changes to the law, allowing the persecution of Brunei’s LGBTIQ community,” she said. “We will not provide any taxpayers’ dollars to Royal Brunei Airlines.” A spokesman for the minister said there had never been any money paid to Brunei, despite what Ms Farmer said in January. It’s understood approval had been granted for AAFE to pursue the deal, but a contract had not been signed, and now wouldn’t be. The Royal Brunei Airlines statement spruiking the deal was removed from Brisbane Airport’s website after news.com.au inquiries. The backdown comes as unions in the state prepare for a campaign against the airline when it begins flights in Queensland in June. Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine said airport workers were already concerned Royal Brunei Airlines flew into Melbourne. “Workers are adamant that the government of Brunei should not be profiting in Australia while it is at the same time blatantly violating human rights. We will co-ordinate with other unions to pressure the Federal Government on this development and work with our members so they voice their dissatisfaction. Airports also have a duty to step up and hold airlines to account over issues like this which go to the heart of fundamental rights.” A meeting with other unions was planned for next week regarding what action could be taken in Queensland. Allan King, a lobbyist contracted by Royal Brunei Airlines in Canberra, told news.com.au this week he was not currently working for them, despite the airline being listed as a client on a government register. Neil Pharaoh began the petition and campaign against the airline and said the response had been overwhelming, with almost 20,000 signatures, as well as offers of donations and political support. “We have had great wins already with Virgin Australia and STA Travel, the latter banning Royal Brunei Airlines sales worldwide.” He called for other agencies to “step up”. “Not just for the LGBTI community, but for single women with children, couples who aren’t married and many others who can be stoned to death under these brutal new laws.” Mr Pharaoh said few Australians realised the rules of Brunei applied once they were on the plane. “That means a cuddle on a plane, a misplaced kiss while excited for a holiday can mean potential jail, or death in Brunei - this is unacceptable and the Minister for Transport can’t continue to maintain silence, LGBTIQ communities, single mothers, de facto couples are all at real risk on planes leaving Australia.” He again called on the Coalition Government to stop the flights. “It is an unacceptable risk that our Federal Government can act, and yet won’t act, putting lives at risk.” In light of the harsh laws, Virgin Australia informed staff by email it was ending a staff leisure travel arrangement with Royal Brunei Airlines. “Given the harsh (including death) penalties being introduced for activity that is legal and acceptable in Australia, the myID (staff travel) agreement between Virgin Australia and Royal Brunei has now been terminated effective immediately,” the company said in the email. A Virgin Australia spokeswoman told news.com.au the staff leisure travel agreement “was for the sole purpose of employee leisure travel benefits only”. “Virgin Australia does not sell seats on Royal Brunei,” a statement from the airline said. “Under a separate interline ticketing agreement, Royal Brunei sells seats available on Virgin Australia aircraft for select routes within Australia. There is no change to this particular agreement.” The Australian reported Qantas, which has interline agreements and staff travel arrangements with Royal Brunei, has not made any changes in response to Brunei’s new criminal laws. News.com.au has contacted Qantas for comment. On Friday STA Travel said it would no longer sell flights with Royal Brunei Airlines. “At STA Travel, we are really proud of our open and diverse culture, and we fully expect all our partners to demonstrate and uphold these same values. We categorically don’t support the laws that have recently been introduced in Brunei (including on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels) which we believe are in direct contravention of basic human rights,” Australian Country Manager Monika Rieker. “We can’t do much to change laws, but we can add our voice to a campaign that we believe in. Gender and sexuality diversity are a natural part of life, so of course we think sentencing people to death for their sexuality is abhorrent, which is why we’ve backed the Brunei boycott.” STA Travel is also offering full refunds to customers who have bought Royal Brunei tickets through it, and no longer want to fly with the airline.<doc-sep>Global travel agency STA Travel has stopped selling Royal Brunei Airlines flights in protest at the country's new death penalty for gay sex. Full sharia law was enacted on Wednesday in the southeast Asian kingdom, prompting calls to the federal government to revoke Royal Brunei's right to land in Australia. STA Travel says it will no longer work with Royal Brunei Airlines and has stopped selling the carrier's flights through its global operations. "We categorically don't support laws that have recently been introduced in Brunei (including on Brunei-registered aircrafts and vessels) which we believe are in direct contravention of basic human rights," Australian manager Monika Rieker said.<doc-sep>PHOTO: Paddle Your Own Kanoo Protests over Brunei introducing draconian new laws with brutal punishments for gay sex, adultery and theft are now being aimed at the nationally-owned Royal Brunei Airlines. Virgin Australia Airlines has already confirmed it has cancelled its staff travel deal with the national carrier over the new anti-gay laws. Royal Brunei Airlines also have code-share agreements with many airlines including (to name just a few), Thai Airways, QANTAS, Singapore Airlines, Bangkok Always and British Airways. Some of these airlines are said to be considering the future of their code-share agreements. Full Shariah law took effect in Brunei this week although a move to more brutal punishments has been ramping up since 2013. The new laws will apply to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners, even when on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels, according to travel advisory issued by the Australian government. The Australian department of foreign affairs is warning tourists that some offences may result in a penalty of execution by stoning. Meanwhile a Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby in the Australian state of Victoria is calling on the Australian government to ensure the safety of Australians is protected. The Victorian lobby group says the travel warning does not go far enough to protect the rights of LGBTIQ Australians. They’ve gone so far as calling on Melbourne Airport to withdraw permission for Brunei Airlines to land, while demanding that Flight Centre and STA Travel immediately stop selling the airline’s tickets. Virgin Australia, in an email to staff, says the decision was made “given the harsh (including death) penalties being introduced” for a normal lifestyle that is legal and acceptable in many countries, including Australia. Large Australian travel franchise Flight Centre responded saying the company “vehemently opposes” the application of Shariah law in Brunei. While travel consumers, and Hollywood and music celebrities, may lead the charge against human rights violations, the global travel industry is doing what it does best; siting on the fence. The Thaiger would urge flyers to consider choosing other airlines in light of the draconian laws introduced in the Sultanate of Brunei this week. Want more from the Thaiger family? 📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile 📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter 👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook 🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates<doc-sep>The Sultan of Brunei’s declaration that homosexuality will be punishable by death under stricter adherence to Islamic Sharia Law has sparked Australians to call for Brunei’s national air carrrier to be banned from skies Down Under. A petition, directed to the Minister and Shadow Minister for Transport, calls on the Australian government to “commit to a ban on Royal Brunei from flying into and out of Australia.” It has drawn over 15,000 signatures since its launch. “The last thing you expect to happen if you board a flight from Australia – as a law-abiding citizen – is to run the real risk of falling victim to a shocking law that could potentially see you jailed, or even executed,” the petition reads, before adding: “But that is the reality for LGBTIQ Australians now Brunei has enacted laws that could see gay people stoned to death.” Homosexuality has always been illegal in the tiny South-East Asian country but from Wednesday strict new Islamic laws making gay sex an offence punishable by stoning to death came into effect. The severe penalties apply to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners even when not in the country but travelling on Brunei registered aircraft or vessels. Before the new legal regime commenced, homosexuality was illegal and punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment, but under the changes Brunei has become the first Asian country to make homosexuality punishable by death. Public flogging has been brought in as a punishment for abortion and amputation for theft, the United Nations confirmed. The petition is just one of the responses in near-neighbour Australia that is putting pressure on Royal Brunei Airlines. Domestic carrier Virgin Australia has now cancelled a staff travel agreement with the airline in response to the strict Sharia Law, the Guardian reports. On Thursday the company, Australia’s second-biggest airline after Qantas, sent an email to employees explaining the new code applies to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners “even when transiting on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels.” “Given the harsh (including death) penalties being introduced for activity that is legal and acceptable in Australia, the myID (staff travel) agreement between Virgin Australia and Royal Brunei has now been terminated effective immediately,” the email said. In 2015, Christmas celebrations were banned in Brunei and religious followers were warned the prohibition would be strictly enforced. Homosexuality is punishable by execution in several other Muslim-majority countries, including death by stoning in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Mauritania.<doc-sep>
The federal government is being urged to revoke Royal Brunei Airlines' right to land in Australia after the Asian nation introduced the death penalty for homosexual acts and adultery. The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby has called on Canberra to ensure the safety of Australians is protected. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia on Wednesday confirmed it had severed its staff travel deal with the sultanate's national carrier over the new anti-gay laws. Full sharia law, based on the Islamic religious and legal system, took effect in Brunei on Wednesday. It applies to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners even when on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels. The Australian department of foreign affairs website advises would-be tourists of the new code, warning some offences may result in a penalty of execution. Experts, however, are doubtful that executions will actually be carried out. The Victorian lobby group believes the travel warning does not go far enough to protect the rights of LGBTIQ Australians. "The penal code applies to all those who board a Brunei-registered aircraft even when in Australia," the VGLRL said. "(It) will allow for inhumane and cruel punishments for queer people, such as death by stoning for consensual acts between same-sex adults." The group also called on the only Australian airport with regular Royal Brunei flights - Melbourne Airport - to no longer accept flights from the carrier and for travel agents such as Flight Centre and STA Travel to immediately stop selling their flights. Virgin Australia's move to immediately terminate the staff travel deal was announced to staff via email, which said the decision was made given the "harsh (including death) penalties being introduced for activity that is legal and acceptable in Australia". A Virgin spokeswoman said a separate interline ticketing agreement that allows Royal Brunei to sell seats on Virgin flights had not been changed. Virgin doesn't sell seats on the Brunei airline. The revision of Brunei's penal code expands the crimes that can be punished by death to include rape, extramarital sex for Muslims, robbery, and insulting the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia has raised concerns with the Brunei government over the new penal code. "We absolutely oppose the death penalty and are committed to the rights of LGBTI people. We will continue to advocate for human rights in the region and beyond," she tweeted. In a later statement, she added it was a matter for individual travellers to pick which airline they use. Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said he found the new laws "extremely confronting" but says aviation access rights are a matter for the federal government and the airport would follow its response. Travel agency Flight Centre said the company "vehemently opposes" the application of Sharia law in Brunei.