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But as thousands of Australians sign a petition demanding the airline’s landing rights in Australia be rescinded - and as global condemnation grows against Brunei’s barbaric new laws - the Queensland Government has backed away from the deal with Royal Brunei Airlines.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.

Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said Brunei’s new laws were “extremely confronting” but said aviation access rights were a matter for the federal government, AAP reported.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia had 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.

Ms Payne later said it was up to individuals to decide what airline to fly with.

Benjamin Ryberg, director of research at US non-profit group The Lawfare Project, said tourism in Brunei was likely to take a big hit.

This is despite marketing materials being issued by Brunei’s tourism arm in a reinvigorated push to draw tourists to the tiny, oil-rich monarchy, Fox News reports.

“There is much speculation that tourism will suffer,” Mr Ryberg told Fox News.

Brunei’s tough new penal code makes it the first country in Southeast and East Asia to have sharia penal law at the national level, joining countries such as Saudi Arabia which is well known for its strict Islamic laws.

Under the laws, rape and robbery are also punishable by death, as is insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

The United Nations labelled the laws a “clear violation” of human rights.