Rotorua Lakes Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait is supporting music artist Chris Brown's application to come to New Zealand.

Brown is not eligible to enter New Zealand because he has been barred from two countries because of his domestic violence conviction.

He will need to apply for an exemption under the Immigration Act in order to get a visa to perform here.

He served community work and five years' probation after pleading guilty to the charge of assault against Rihanna. A police statement at the time was quoted in American media saying Brown strangled, bit, and repeatedly punched Rihanna in a car.

However, Brown's application to come to New Zealand has gotten the support of Rotorua Lakes Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait and the National Urban Maori Authority.

The entertainer has been invited to a powhiri at Nga Whare Waatea Marae, Auckland by the Authority.

Merepeka is part of an influential group of women supporting the application which include, Dame June Jackson, Dame June Mariu, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Lady Tureiti Moxon.

The Councillor says no one supports Chris Brown's past domestic violence history.

'But it's about going forward and sadly we still have major problems with Maori in this area.”

Merepeka says the group believe this isn't about the person but the opportunity that must be afforded to those who have transgressed.

'To believe their past doesn't have to be their future. Especially if they have paid their dues. Of course New Zealanders are consistent, we don't do forgiveness very well.

'We will welcome him to our marae and then we expect him to address our youth about his past indiscretions and what he has learnt about life. We are very much looking forward to him coming into the country.”

Since the assault in 2009, he was part of a nightclub brawl in 2012 that involved hip hop star Drake and the following year singer Frank Ocean accused him of punching and shouting a homophobic slur at him.

He was ordered to enter a drug rehabilitation centre after breaching conditions of his parole, then served time in a prison after he was kicked out of the rehabilitation centre.

SunLive went and asked members of the public what they thought about the situation.

Watch the video above to see what they had to say.