The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House to make Brisbane and regional areas of Queensland a SHEV (Safe Haven Enterprise Visa) zone.  Hundreds of Queenslanders who arrived here as asylum seekers on bridging visas will be forced to move interstate away from their already established support networks, jobs, businesses and studies if our state does not sign up to a Federal Government initiative allowing refugees on SHEVs to live in the community without government assistance. Current areas that already support this scheme are regional New South Wales and Tasmania.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to designate Brisbane and regional centres as a SHEV zone, allowing those who are already a part of our thriving multicultural community to study, work and contribute to our great state. We would like to ensure that asylum seekers and their families are not forced to move interstate but can instead help to build the future of Queensland and contribute to our economy.