Tua not appropriate for anti-abuse campaign, says Auckland councillor

9:00 AM

An anti-violence advocate does not want David Tua involved in a campaign against child abuse.

Dame Barbara Goodman, an Auckland City councillor, said she was upset when she heard the boxer had offered his services to the Children First Foundation set up by TVNZ presenter Liz Gunn.

Dame Barbara said she had nothing against Tua, but a man who makes his living hitting other people is not a good role model for an anti-violence campaign.

This is the second time Dame Barbara has spoken out against Tua fronting a public awareness campaign.

In October last year, the 68-year-old frowned on the boxer's involvement in a poster campaign to "knock out tagging."

"It is a great pity we have to use someone who gets into a ring with someone else and their objective is to beat the daylights out of each other," she said at the time.

Dame Barbara is patron of the Peace Foundation and a long time supporter of Women's Refuge.

- IRN, HERALD ONLINE STAFF

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