In a deeply stirring court session, Joyleen Robinson, mother of renowned pop star Vanessa Amorosi, revealed the emotional toll of her familial rift. She disclosed how her daughter has distanced herself to the point where Joyleen has yet to meet her own grandchild.
The poignant revelations arose during a civil trial proceeding in Victoria’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, stemming from a dispute between mother and daughter over property rights.
Amorosi, who funded two properties with her music career earnings, is suing her mother for full ownership. In response, Robinson is countersuing, arguing for the enforcement of an alleged “kitchen agreement” with her daughter—an agreement Amorosi fervently denies.
The disputed properties include an 8ha Narre Warren property in Melbourne’s southeast, which has been Robinson’s home for over twenty years, and Amorosi’s residence in California. Both are under family trusts with the women as joint owners.
In her heartfelt testimony, Robinson detailed how Amorosi, at the height of her music fame in 2001, proposed to buy her a home. Feeling reluctant to take such a large sum, it was agreed upon that Robinson would repay the $650,000 purchase price when Amorosi needed it.
During this discussion, Robinson maintained an emotional emphasis on their once strong connection. She stated, “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.”
Conversely, Amorosi painted a different picture when recounting that upon her mother’s discovery of the “dream home” she was disheartened, not wanting such a sizable property. The property in question, the Narre Warren home, was bought in 2001, and all family members moved in, including Amorosi’s siblings.
She later moved out, first to an acreage in Officer and then to California in 2011, pursuing a new relationship and professional advances. According to Amorosi, her mother managed her bustling career’s finances, including multiple property sales and purchases without her knowledge of the transactions.
Trust began to unravel in 2014—Amorosi was informed she could no longer maintain her first home near Los Angeles due to financial insufficiencies. Despite questioning her mother on the whereabouts of her earnings, she was left unsatisfied with the answer and felt that her mother was lavish with her earnings.
On her behalf, Robinson stated that she was “not very smart” with money matters and depended on accountants and advisers to protect her daughter’s interests. After Amorosi moved to America in 2011, Robinson pulled back and an American business manager took over.
Robinson argued she fulfilled the agreed-upon side of their “kitchen agreement” by selling their old house and depositing $710,000 into Amorosi’s trust once Amorosi ran into financial troubles in 2014. She further stated, “I thought it (the Narre Warren property) was mine, I put a lot of money into that house over the years. Why would I do that if I didn’t think it was mine?”
With a wavering voice choked with emotion, Robinson expressed how her daughter has estranged her since 2015 over financial mismanagement allegations. “I’ve never even met my grandson, and I learned his name in the newspaper. Vanessa and I were so close, I was broken,” she lamented.
