REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, July 21, 2007

FROM waitress to millionairess, a Gold Coast woman won a $1.13 million property settlement from her former partner in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

The man, Mr G, 49, appealed the decision to give his de facto 30 per cent of his vast property portfolio as a settlement for the couple’s 11-year relationship.

Despite the appeal pending, final orders about how the money was to be paid were made in court.

The judgment of Justice Ros Atkinson said the woman, Ms L, 53, had been a Chinese restaurant waitress and in 1992 dabbled in a clothing shop where she met the man before moving into his Runaway Bay house in May, 1993.

Part of the dispute was the woman claimed the relationship ended in 2004, while the man argued the couple split in 2001.

While both remained under the same roof, the court was told they were not having an intimate relationship but continued to attend yoga together and enjoy a high-flying lifestyle with trips overseas, luxury cars and share portfolios for birthday presents. The court was told Ms L’s son was also raised with the man as if all three were a family.

In awarding the woman 30 per cent of the property under the Property Law Act, Justice Atkinson said the couple’s relationship had lasted close to 11 years.

The court was told the man was able to keep the couple in an affluent lifestyle due to distributions he received from estates and trusts in NZ and income from hisbusinesses.