Queenslanders used online social activist platform change.org to petition on issues they cared about the most, creating a "tangible impact", Change.org head of Australia Nathan Elvery said.

"The victories for the state show that Queenslanders are passionate about standing up for the voiceless; from murder victims denied justice to indigenous fairness and preventing animal cruelty," he said.

Here are some of the top 10 Queensland change.org victories from 2017.

Queensland ???gay panic' murder defence scrapped

Father Paul Kelly created a change.org petition after a man, Wayne Ruks, was bashed and killed in his church grounds at Maryborough in 2008.

The petition managed to secure 290,000 signatures and in March, a bill to remove the partial defence from Queensland law was passed.

The defence had been used by people accused of murder to claim they were provoked by an unwanted sexual advance.

Imprisoned terminally ill Aboriginal man to die at home

A change.org petition called for a terminally ill Aboriginal man Marshall Wallace to be freed from police custody after he was given a 15-month sentence for motoring offences in Mt Isa earlier this year.

The 48-year-old, who had only been given six to nine months to live, had been caught driving without a licence.

A fortnight after his arrest and 17,000 signatures later, he was granted parole under exceptional circumstances to return to his family.

Queensland government drops appeal defending police officers who breached Racial Discrimination Act

Indigenous health campaigner Professor Gracelyn Smallwood celebrated a victory when the Attorney-General dropped an appeal against a Federal Court decision in 2016, which found police committed racial discrimination during the 2004 Palm Island riots.

The riots were a result of the death of Aboriginal man Cameron Doomadgee.

Professor Smallwood had been advocating against the injustice of his death for a decade and wrote on change.org she was "over the moon" when she was told the appeal had been dropped and thanked the 17,702 signatures who supported her.

Queensland Health Minister acts to reduce hospital parking fees

More than 16,000 people backed a petition to reduce hospital car parking fees across the state.

Health advocate Justine Christerson asked the Queensland government to investigate car park price "gouging" and "stop profiting from sick Queenslanders", with day passes costing $30.

In July, the government passed directives for hospital and health services to set policies to make parking more affordable and accessible.

Funding for new greyhound racetrack at Logan scrapped

A petition that managed to secure more than 7000 signatures helped boost Animal Liberation Queensland's campaign against a racetrack at Logan.

The state government handed the Slacks Creek property back to council for community use in February.

Removal of dead whale buried at Wurtulla Beach sand dunes

Concerned boardriders petitioned to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council earlier this year after a whale washed up and was buried about 200 metres north of a patrolled beach.

The council agreed to remove the whale after 5246 people voiced their concerns it would possibly attract sharks to the popular tourist beach.

Sam Thaiday removed as Deadly Choices Ambassador

In May this year rugby league star Sam Thaiday made racist comments on the NRL Footy Show and was consequently dumped as an ambassador for Indigenous health program Deadly Choices.

The petition managed to secure more than 1000 signatures to send a message to the Brisbane Broncos player his behaviour was not acceptable.

Disability advocacy funding saved

Combined Advocacy Groups Queensland called for the state government to maintain funding to independent advocacy groups for people with disabilities, after it was announced funding would be cut to nine advocacy organisations.

Last month the Minister Coralee O'Rourke said independent advocacy and peer-to-peer support in Queensland would be funded after the National Disability Insurance Scheme rollout.

Gladstone animal rescue organisation saved from closure

Anita's Angels rescues abandoned cats across Gladstone and has them vet-checked, vaccinated and desexed before they are adopted out.

A petition successfully called for Gladstone Regional Council to allow founder Anita Coad continue her work thanks to more than 800 signatures.

Toowoomba renames street after fallen soldier

The Highfields RSL sub branch called for the Toowoomba Regional Council to rename Community Court to Sean McCarthy Way, a fallen local soldier.

Earlier this year, the council approved the name change and it was up to the RSL to organise a suitable time to commence the process.