Vanessa Amorosi’s estranged mum breaks down in court over bitter legal feud

The mother of popstar Vanessa Amorosi cried in court when discussing the heavy toll of their feud, revealing she didn’t know her grandson’s name until it was reported in the media.

(Middle) Joyleen Robinson, mother of Vanessa Amorosi, is supported by loved ones as she heads into Melbourne’s Supreme Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The estranged mother of popstar Vanessa Amorosi has broken into tears after revealing she has never met her grandson and only learnt his name through media reports.

Joyleen Robinson is being sued by the Melbourne-born singer, 42, who is seeking the ownership of two properties, one in Narre Warren and another in California where she now lives.

The bitter legal dispute has been playing out in a Supreme Court trial, where on Tuesday Ms Robinson was brought to tears when she was asked about the relationship breakdown with her daughter.

“I’ve never met my grandson and I learnt his name from the newspaper,” she said.

“Vanessa and I were so close, I was broken.”

Under cross-examination by Ms Amorosi’s lawyer Philip Solomon KC, Ms Robinson was repeatedly asked to focus on the question and avoid giving “editorial” answers.

Joyleen Robinson, the mother of Australian entertainer Vanessa Amorosi, arrives at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The lawsuit centres around a semirural property in Narre Warren purchased for $650,000 in 2001 when Ms Amorosi, known best for the hit Absolutely Everybody, was at the height of her success.

Ms Amorosi paid for the property but the title was split evenly between her and her mother, purportedly to protect her from creditors.

She is now seeking full ownership or a court order that it be sold.

But Ms Robinson — who still lives on the property — claims there was a verbal agreement in 2001 that she would take full control if she paid Ms Amorosi the purchase price.

The mother claims she paid $710,000 towards the loan of her daughter’s California home in 2014 and is entitled to sole ownership of the Narre Warren property.

Ms Amorosi denies the agreement — allegedly made in the kitchen of Ms Robinson’s home — ever took place.

Popstar Vanessa Amorosi alleged her mother mismanaged her finances after taking control during the height of the singer’s career. Picture: NCA Newswire

Mr Solomon on Tuesday grilled Ms Robinson about the details of the conversation and why there was no written record.

She repeatedly claimed there was no need because it was a “mother-daughter discussion” and they trusted one another.

Ms Robinson added she had financially helped her daughter when she had struggled.

“My daughter and I were like one person, I loved her, I thought she loved me, which she did. She was a good daughter,” she said.

“I love my kids so much your Honour, I wouldn’t take money off my kids.”

Mr Robinson said the agreement was made after she refused to accept the property as a gift from her daughter.

Earlier in the trial, tax records were shown revealing Ms Amorosi earned nearly $1m in 2001.

In her testimony, Ms Amorosi claimed her mother took control of her finances by establishing various trusts as her career took off following her performance at the 2000 Olympics.

Vanessa Amorosi has been wowing crowds with her lively performances since she was a teenager. Picture: Brendan Radke

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

The bitter dispute began in late 2014, when Ms Amorosi was forced to sell her American home because her mother had told her she did not have enough money to service the loan.

Ms Amorosi said a “war” erupted with her family when she questioned her mother about where her money was, and she was furious when Ms Robinson told her she had spent it all.

Ms Robinson’s lawyer Daniel Harrison suggested the singer had launched legal action because she was in a difficult financial situation — a claim she denies.

Ms Amorosi is also seeking control of a property in California where she lives but is held in the name of a trust directed by her stepfather and Ms Robinson’s husband.

The judge-only civil trial will continue next week.