Williams asked to be dropped from the team which includes the likes of Sir John Walker, Bernice Mene and Ruben Wiki, after he admitted in a magazine that drinking fuelled his abuse towards the mother of his child.

Williams told New Zealand Woman's Weekly: "Just like every other relationship, there have been scuffles here and there.

"This is a problem I need to sort out.

"This just shows me that I have hurt her emotionally and physically.

"I'm disgusted with myself, with the timing.

"But I tell her every day that I'm sorry and I'm seriously trying to change."

Williams topped New Zealand's singles charts last year with "You Got Me".

He was announced as part of Auckland Mayor's Len Brown's XV of public figures in February, who said at the time that the pop star was a "great young talent coming through, loved by the young people of our community".

The Mayor said that he was disappointed to learn of the revelations and accepted the request to step down.

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