New Zealand / Music

Chris Brown cancels NZ concert

12:08 pm on 2 December 2015

Chris Brown has cancelled his New Zealand concert just over two weeks before it was due to take place.

He has also scrapped four Australian tour dates.

Brown caused a stir when he announced plans to visit New Zealand, with anti-violence groups speaking out against his trip because of his conviction for assaulting a former partner. But he gained the support of several high-profile Maori women.

Chris Brown Photo: AFP/Michael Kovac /Getty Images North America

He was due to perform in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth from 9 December as part of his 'One Hell of a Nite' tour and in Auckland on 18 December.

The star applied for a work visa for New Zealand eight days ago. His conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend, the pop star Rihanna, in 2009 meant he may have needed a special direction under the Immigration Act to be able to enter the country.

He was denied entry to Britain in 2010 and Canada earlier this year.

In a statement, his promoters said they and Mr Brown remained positive that a tour will take place in the near future.

The promoters said Mr Brown wished to express his deepest gratitude to fans for their support and looked forward to a successful tour in the near future.

In October, prominent Maori women Dames Tariana Turia, June Jackson and June Mariu, Lady Tureiti Moxon and former chief executive of Women's Refuge Merepeka Raukawa-Tait called for Brown to to be allowed into the country to perform.

They acknowledged what they called New Zealand's long shameful history of domestic violence but Ms Raukawa-Tait said Brown had changed his behaviour and now had his daughter back by his side.

Dame Tariana maintained that young people would listen to Brown and Ms Raukawa-Tait said a range of people were needed to speak out against domestic violence.

"Chris Brown is a young black man from the United States who is hoping to perform rap and hip-hop in this country - you'll all know he has a big following of young people," said Ms Raukawa-Tait at the time.

But anti-violence campaigner and Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis was stunned the women were taking such a position.

He said Brown would simply turn up for two minutes and denounce violence, before jumping on the stage and making millions.