U.S. rapper Chris Brown cancels Australian tour after visa denied

Controversial U.S. rapper Chris Brown has been forced to cancel the Australian leg of his world tour, after he was unable to secure a visa due to Australia's hard-line stance on domestic violence.

Brown's Australian ticket sales distributer, Ticketek, released a press release on Wednesday confirming the singer and rapper's tour of Australia and New Zealand would not go ahead.

The Australian government denied the 26-year-old's visa request in September, due to a well-publicized incident of domestic violence. Brown's appeal against the decision also proved unsuccessful.

In 2009, Brown was convicted of battery and assault as well as threatening to kill songstress Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time.

While Ticketek conceded the cancellation was a major blow, the group was confident of rescheduling the tour at some stage.

"(Chris) Brown and the promoters both remain positive that the tour will take place in the near future," the statement read.

"(He) wishes to express his deepest gratitude to the fans for their support and looks forward to a successful tour in the near future."

In recent months, the Australian government has embarked on a major campaign to rid the nation of domestic violence.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in September said men, the perpetrators of these attacks, had to change their attitude toward women and view mistreatment of the opposite sex as "un-Australian."

Brown joined fellow U.S. rapper, Tyler the Creator, as the second American musician to be banned from entering Australia this year. Endit