Vanessa Amorosi’s mother lodges counterclaim as part of bitter legal fight with singer-songwriter

Vanessa Amorosi’s mother has sensationally rebutted claims she deprived her popstar daughter of touring income in the latest chapter of their dramatic feud.

Singer Vanessa Amorosi is in a feud with her mother, Joyleen Robinson. Picture: David Caird

The mother of Vanessa Amorosi has hit back at claims by the Australian singer-songwriter that she deprived her of touring income and royalties.

A bitter spat between Amorosi, 39, and her mother, Joyleen Robinson, became public last month when the recording artist launched legal action in Victoria’s Supreme Court.

The singing sensation, who has sold more than two million records worldwide, accused her mother of “unconscionable conduct”, saying she owed her money from her recording career and property investments.

But in a new twist in the case, the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal Ms Robinson has lodged a counterclaim.

In a 43-page defence filed to the court last week, Ms Robinson denied her daughter’s allegations of financial mismanagement.

She also said there was more to their dispute over a Narre Warren property.

Ms Robinson said Amorosi had failed to hand over a half-share in the Narre Warren home Ms Robinson lived in, as part of a deal the pair had struck known as the “Narre Warren Agreement”.

Ms Robinson claimed her daughter bought this Narre Warren house for her “sole use and benefit”. Picture: Ian Currie

Ms Robinson claims Amorosi bought the home at 219 Boundary Rd, Narre Warren in

2001 for “Joy’s sole use and benefit” with the mother and daughter to be registered on the title as tenants-in-common.

“Vanessa would hold her registered share in the property on trust for Joy,” the counterclaim reads.

“In consideration for receiving the Narre Warren property for her sole use and benefit, Joy agreed to pay Vanessa $650,000 upon request by Vanessa; and upon Joy making the payment … Vanessa would convey the half-share in the Narre Warren property to Joy at Joy’s request.”

Ms Robinson said she paid her daughter $650,000 in May 2014.

“In breach of the Narre Warren Agreement, Vanessa has continually persistently failed, refused or neglected to convey her half interest in the Narre Warren property to Joy,” Ms Robinson’s writ states.

Ms Robinson has urged the court to force Amorosi to carry out the terms of the agreement.

Ms Robinson also disputed Amorosi’s claims that she had began her music career when she was just 12.

Vanessa Amorosi in Melbourne. Picture: Tony Gough

“Vanessa commenced song writing and singing for experience and as a hobby and did not have a professional career at 12 years of age,” Ms Robinson alleged in her writ.

“Vanessa worked part-time at a Russian restaurant called Matrioshka in Caulfield at around the sage of 12 and 12 years of age.”

Amorosi’s claims her mother solely lived off the funds generated from Vanjoy and their trust accounts was wrong, Ms Robinson said.

She said she had worked as a cleaner on “mostly a full-time basis” since 1995.

Amorosi claimed her mother withheld money from her when she made all the decisions in relation to her company Vanjoy, along with two other trusts between September 2001 and October 2020.

When Amorosi asked her mother in 2014 to give her control of the company and trusts, she said Ms Robinson refused “asserting that Vanessa’s husband would waste the funds”.

The case will come before a judge at a later date.