Sydney, Aug 13 Punjab Place, a street in the Australian city of Brisbane, would continue to keep its name after a petition to change it led to criticism.

Residents in the Logan city suburb of Boronia Heights had signed a petition to change a street name from "Punjab Place" to "Oak Tree Place", The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday.

The proposal had come from the directors of the Oak Tree Lifestyle Retirement Village located on the street.

But director Marco De Pasquale said he had withdrawn the petition from Logan City Council after negative publicity.

De Pasquale maintained 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 said.

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.

"... 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," she said.