Chris Brown is scheduled to perform in Melbourne, Australia in December as a part of his Hell of a Nite 2015 Tour. However, Australia’s officials are putting a damper on that plan by denying him a visa on grounds of character. Brown has 28 days to appeal with an argument for his access. This comes as a shock because Brown is known for having such great character, right?
Immigration minister, Paul Dutter, says Brown is being denied access for his conviction of assault on his girlfriend of the time, Rihanna, in 2009. He was also involved in an alleged assault in May, and in 2014 he barely escaped prison over another assault, so the odds aren’t looking good for Brown. The minister’s action was called upon by GetUp, an activist group in Australia who is committed to making their country a progressive one, and especially fight for social justice, economic fairness, and environmental sustainability.
The group started an online petition to get the R&B singer barred by the Immigration minister. Their petition states that granting Brown a visa for his tour sends a message that, “if you brutally beat a woman, in a short amount of time you will be forgiven, or even celebrated.” The group feels very strongly about domestic violence and Brown’s request for a visa could not have come at a better time for the group, considering October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The group also states, “Chris Brown is an extremely influential figure, particularly among young people. Allowing his entry into Australia sends the message that the Turnbull government does not place significant weight and condemnation on men’s violence against women.” They claim his conviction of the felony assault against Rihanna violates the test for an Australian visa stating the individual cannot have a “substantial criminal record.”
Brown’s argument is that he has been in Australia twice since the conviction, in both 2011 and 2012, so he doesn’t see why he would be denied a visa now. So far, his reps have not said what Brown’s argument to the Australian Immigration Minister will be, but Brown quite maturely has taken to Twitter to defend himself.
I would be more than grateful to come to Australia to raise awareness about domestic violence.Im not the pink elephant in the room anymore
— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) September 29, 2015
My life mistakes should be a wake up call for everyone. Showing the world that mistakes don't define you. Trying to prevent spousal abuse
— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) September 29, 2015
The youth don't listen to parents nor do they listen to PSA's. The power that we have as Entertainers can change lives.
— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) September 29, 2015
So, there we have it. Parents and PSA’s cannot effectively teach their children about domestic violence; it should be left to a woman beater himself. He’s clearly learned his lesson considering the two other assaults he was involved in after beating up Rihanna. It’s interesting that the tweets do not address the real reason he wants access to Australia: his tour.
Australia is going to be a tough nut to crack since they have also banned Floyd Mayweather for similar reasons this year.
Brown is also scheduled to perform in New Zealand. The country’s officials say he has not applied for a visa yet, but he would have to be barred because of the UK barring him in 2010, though an exception is possible.
Looks like Brown has a lot of persuading to do if he wants this tour to go off without a hitch. Considering the “I beat women” sticker spotted on a poster for his tour in Melbourne, maybe he shouldn’t start planning that Domestic Violence presentation just yet.
