“We gone party.” Tickets to Brown’s One Hell Of A Nite Australia tour went on sale on Monday.
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News Corp reports Mr Brown was issued with a notice stating Australian officials intend to refuse his visa on character grounds. He has 28 days in which to appeal the ruling.
A final decision on whether to issue the visa would be made after considering any material presented on the singer’s behalf, the spokesman said. He was sentenced to parole and community service, but has had legal trouble stemming from other incidents since.
Last week, Michaelia Cash, the government’s Minister for Women, shared that while the final decision was in immigration’s hands, she strongly recommended banning Brown’s entry.
Activists have been campaigning against Brown’s tour of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth because of his brutal attack on his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, hours before the Grammy Awards in 2009.
The singer and his lawyers will now have 28 days to explain why he should be allowed to enter the country.
Brown could also face difficulties getting into Australia’s neighbor New Zealand to play a concert planned for December.
Brown has toured in Australia twice since his conviction, in 2011 and 2012.
A publicist for Brown did not instantly reply to a request for remark.
In 2010, United Kingdom too denied Brown access to perform, as did Canada, where he had been turned away at the border.
Under Australia’s Migration Act, people with a “substantial criminal record” can be refused a visa.
The news coincides with a landmark government announcement that nearly 70 million U.S dollars would be put towards stopping domestic violence and violence against women in Australia.
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In her former role as assistant immigration minister, Senator Cash was involved in denying boxer Floyd Mayweather entry to Australia because of his history of family violence.
