Vanessa Amorosi’s Court Battle with Mother Delayed

Plans for Vanessa Amorosi’s mother to hand over two properties to her daughter have been delayed after their dramatic court battle.

The Aussie pop star, 43, launched legal action in 2021 to sue her mother Joyleen Robinson for full ownership of two houses bought as a result of her success, held in a trust that listed both the women as owners.

Ms Amorosi secured a huge legal victory this month when a judge ruled in her favour that she should be the sole owner of the two properties, finding that a supposed ‘kitchen agreement’ about ownership never happened.

However, plans for Ms Robinson to hand over control of the two properties have been delayed as the lawyers continue to negotiate the terms and decide who will be responsible for paying the court costs.

On August 8, Supreme Court Justice Steven Moore gave both parties two weeks to work together to draft orders that would affect his judgment in a ‘manageable’ way.

But when the case returned to the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday, Ms Amorosi’s barrister Joel Fetter said ‘discussions have broken out’ but no agreement had been reached.

He told the court both parties were requesting another week to see if they could ‘come to an agreement’.

Justice Moore agreed to the proposal but warned that he will make the orders if they cannot ‘get to grips’ on the property handover, with the case due to return to court next Wednesday.

Vanessa Amorosi’s court battle against her mother has been delayed as lawyers are yet to agree over the terms of handing over the homes after her legal win

Ms Amorosi, known for her hit Absolutely Everybody, secured a huge legal victory this month when a judge ruled in her favour that she should be the sole owner of the two properties 

‘If they can’t agree on those arrangements, my task is to make orders to give effect to the judgment,’ he said.

‘I encourage parties in their constructive dialogue to come to grips with a manageable arrangement.’

The properties under dispute were a semirural eight-hectare Narre Warren property in Melbourne’s southeast, and Ms Amorosi’s current residence in California.

Ms Amorosi claimed the $650,000 used to purchase the Narre Warren home in 2001 came from a trust set up to receive all of her earnings as a singer-songwriter.

However, Ms Robinson alleged Ms Amorosi agreed to hand over full ownership of the Narre Warren home if she paid $650,000 when asked.

She maintained the agreement was made in February 2001 during a conversation in the kitchen of their former family home.

Ms Robinson said she handed over $710,000 to Ms Amorosi in 2014 for the loan she took out on her American home, maintaining she fulfilled her end of the housing pact.

But Ms Amorosi told the court she should have full ownership as there was never any agreement in place.

The Aussie pop star, 43, launched legal action in 2021 to sue her mother Joyleen Robinson (pictured) for full ownership of two houses bought as a result of her success

The properties under dispute are a semirural Narre Warren property in Melbourne’s southeast (pictured on Google Maps) and Ms Amorosi’s current residence in California 

The singer also sought to be the sole owner of her current Californian residence, which was bought through a trust account set up by her mother.

Earlier this month, Justice Moore ruled that the supposed ‘kitchen’ agreement never happened and the Narre Warren property should be under Ms Amorosi’s name alone.

He also found that Ms Amorosi should be the sole owner of her Californian home.

However, Justice Moore did agree that Ms Robinson should receive restitution from Ms Amorosi for the contribution she made to her property in 2014.

In the judgement delivered on the songwriter’s 43rd birthday, he ordered Ms Amorosi pay her mother $650,000 plus $219,486.33 in interest.

Ms Amorosi did not attend court on Thursday for Justice Moore’s judgment as she was still in the US.

Ms Robinson was also not in attendance, although some of her family members watched on in court.

The legal battle first started in March 2021 when Ms Amorosi launched Supreme Court proceedings against Mrs Robinson.

During a five-day trial in October, Ms Amorosi and her mother both gave evidence, with the performer taking breaks to wipe away tears and compose herself.

At the judge-only trial, the court was told the mother and daughter fell out in 2015.

Ms Amorosi said things came to a head when she was forced to sell a home near Los Angeles when she was told she couldn’t meet the repayments.

‘I knew I was going to lose the property. There was a lot of turmoil going on and I couldn’t get the answers of why,’ she told the court.

‘I asked her (Ms Robinson) to show me where the money had gone… (She said) I spent it all and that I should come home and get to work.’

Ms Amorosi claimed she believed her mother had taken control over her finances as a teenager and had been ‘very generous’ with the millions of dollars she earnt in the early 2000s.

Ms Amorosi soared to fame at the age of 18 in 1999 with the release of her debut single Have a Look, which reached gold status in Australia 

But Ms Robinson told the court she always acted in her daughter’s interest and was following the advice of an accountant Ms Amorosi’s manager had recommended.

‘My daughter and I were best friends, there were never any worries about money… I loved her and still love her – that’s the heartbreaking part,’ she said.

Ms Amorosi soared to fame at the age of 18 in 1999 with the release of her debut single Have a Look, which reached gold status in Australia.

The following year, she achieved international success with her debut studio album, The Power and performed at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Her track Absolutely Everybody became an unofficial anthem of the Games and went on to be a major hit in Australia and Europe, including the UK and Germany.

Her combined album and single sales have surpassed two million worldwide.