‘Justice has been done’: Billionaire claims victory in Toorak townhouse fight

Socialite Venus Behbahani-Clark has lost her court bid for ownership of a Toorak townhouse owned by her sister’s billionaire partner Alex Waislitz, bringing to an end a messy, years-long legal battle.

At its core, the fight was between Behbahani-Clark and her sister Rebecca Behbahani, as well as Waislitz, Rebecca’s fiancé. But it also embroiled another of Melbourne’s wealthiest families – the Pratts.

Behbahani-Clark claimed her sister and Waislitz promised to give her a Toorak townhouse, owned by Waislitz’s private investment company Thorney Equities, and said they had not fulfilled their pledge.

Heloise Pratt, Waislitz’s ex-wife, and her family briefly intervened in the dispute last year, because she was until recently a director of Thorney Equities. She claimed Waislitz and his new partner had no right to give away the Toorak property.

Thorney Equities is now fully controlled by Waislitz, after he and Pratt finalised their divorce and carved up their assets in 2025.

On Thursday, Victorian Supreme Court judge Claire Harris ruled Behbahani-Clark failed to prove she was duped by the couple, who she had alleged did not fulfil their promise to transfer the title of the property.

In a joint statement, Waislitz and Rebecca Bebahani welcomed the news.

“We took the decision from day one that we would defend these claims for our property because the plaintiff had no legitimate claim,” they said.

“We respect the court’s decision and are grateful that the legal process has reached this outcome. We believe justice has been done.

“The conduct of the plaintiff, Rebecca’s sister Venus Behbahani-Clark ... has been nothing short of disgraceful for several years.”

In a statement after the decision, Behbahani-Clark flagged an appeal, even as she said the court had importantly rejected “longstanding baseless allegations” about her.

“The case turned on a technical interpretation of a contractual clause with which we respectfully disagree,” she said.

“This is not vindication for anyone, nor is it the end of the matter. The judgment is already under review by my senior counsel and legal team, and the legal process will continue.”

In a separate and ongoing court dispute, Behbahani-Clark was charged with the theft of a phone from Rebecca.

Since she missed her past two court appearances in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, magistrate Michelle Hodgson issued a bench warrant for her arrest earlier this month.

According to court documents, Behbahani-Clark, her husband James and their children were living in the Toorak property from about October 2019. They have since relocated to London.

The sisters happily lived side-by-side in identical Toorak townhouses from about October 2019 to at least November 2022.

But Behbahani-Clark sued Thorney Equities, Waislitz and her sister – who she is now estranged from – in 2023 in the Supreme Court, amid an explosive dispute about ownership of one of the properties.

Behbahani-Clark alleged, by way of a deed of gift, that Waislitz would transfer the title of the Toorak townhouse to Rebecca in December 2019.

Behbahani-Clark then said that in a separate deed of gift, dated June 4, 2021, that Rebecca agreed to transfer the title of the Toorak property to her sister.

“The third defendant (Rebecca) gave all her equitable right, title and interest in and to the Land to the plaintiff (Venus Behbahani-Clark),” her lawyers said in court documents.

According to those documents, Behbahani-Clark alleged this promise was made after Waislitz and Rebecca broke up.

“After earlier forming a de facto relationship, the second defendant (Waislitz) and third defendant (Rebecca Behbahani) separated in October 2019 and as at 3 December 2019 remained living separately and apart,” Behbahani’s statement of claim alleged.

“As at 3 December 2019, each of the second defendant and the third defendant were of the opinion that there was no reasonable likelihood of cohabitation being resumed between them.”

Behbahani-Clark claimed her sister made the promise to give her house in writing, which was sealed by an impression of Rebecca’s thumbprint.

Behbahani-Clark said Rebecca, who is an aspiring pop signer, agreed to give her the house in exchange for resigning from their music production company and handing her shares over to Rebecca.

According Waislitz’s defence, Behbahani-Clark and her family continued living at the Toorak townhouse without his permission – or that of Thorney Equities – after November 2022.

While Waislitz agreed that there were some financial arrangements in place for Rebecca during the brief period in which they were separated, Waislitz denied that his partner made any promises to her sister about the townhouse. He also denied Behbahani-Clark having any claim at all to the property.

Waislitz alleged that any financial agreements about the property that were made with Rebecca were voided because their relationship was rekindled.

“Mr Waislitz and (Rebecca) Behbahani resumed their relationship in or about early 2020 and have remained in a relationship since that time,” Waislitz’s lawyers said in their defence.

“Neither Mr Waislitz nor (Rebecca) Behbahani has sought at any time to enforce any term of the Financial Agreement.”

Rebecca denied in her defence that her sister ever had a legal interest in the property.

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