Emotional Vanessa Amorosi accuses her mum Joyleen Robinson of ‘unconscionable conduct’

A question pop star Vanessa Amorosi asked her mother sparked a “war between the family”, leading to a bitter legal stoush over property ownership and funds that allegedly went missing.

Pop star Vanessa Amorosi is suing her mother Joyleen Robinson. Picture: David Crosling

Never mix family and business.

That’s the sage advice Australian pop star Vanessa Amorosi is learning the hard way as she faces off with her estranged mother in a bitter legal stoush playing out in the Supreme Court.

The Melbourne-born singer-songwriter, 42, is suing her mother Joyleen Robinson over the ownership of two properties held in separate family trusts, one in Narre Warren and another in California where she now lives, claiming they were bought with her income and royalties.

Ms Amorosi, who in court documents accuses her mother of “unconscionable conduct”, fought back tears on Thursday as she described how she was ostracised by her family after questioning her mother about alleged missing funds.

Joyleen Robinson (centre) has been accused of ‘unconscionable conduct’. Picture: David Crosling

In testimony lasting more than three hours, Ms Amorosi said a “war” erupted with her family in early 2015 when she asked Ms Robinson why one of her home loans had not been paid off.

“She said I spent all the money and that I should come home and get to work, I should go back to touring,” she said.

Ms Amorosi said she was furious and questioned where her money was.

“Asking that question to my mum had my siblings very angry. It started a war between the family,” she said, adding she had since been ostracised from them.

Ms Amorosi was seated just metres from her estranged family, including her mother, and took multiple breaks to compose herself.

Amorosi fought back tears in court on Thursday as she described how she was ostracised by her family. Picture: David Crosling

Earlier, the singer, who rose to stardom with the single Absolutely Everybody, said her mother took control of her finances by establishing various trusts as her career took off in the early 2000s.

She also spoke of how from a young age, she was taught not to trust anyone else with her finances.

“As time progressed, and I made more money, and I became more successful, everybody became the enemy,” Ms Amorosi said as she broke into tears.

“She was to be the only one there with the right intentions and I believed her.”

The court heard one trust, named Llama, held Ms Amorosi’s earnings and was used to purchase properties across Victoria used as “nest eggs”.

Ms Amorosi told the court she never questioned why loans had been taken out despite making millions from touring and royalties.

In 2001, Ms Amorosi and her mother jointly purchased a semi-rural property on Boundary Road in Narre Warren for $650,000.

Ms Robinson still lives there with Ms Amorosi’s stepfather, Peter Robinson, who Ms Amorosi said she had a good relationship with.

That property and another in the US where Ms Amorosi lives and is held by a trust directed by Mr Robinson, are at the centre of the legal battle, with the singer seeking control of both assets or a court order for the 20-acre Narre Warren property to be sold.

While under cross examination from her mother’s lawyer Daniel Harrison, Ms Amorosi denied she purchased the Narre Warren property as a gift for her mother.

Ms Amorosi, who travelled from the United States for the trial, was supported in court by her former manager and Australian Idol judge Mark Holden.

She will continue giving evidence on Friday.