A broke heiress who was blocked from her AUD $12 million (£6,810,900 or USD $8,355,539) inheritance has spoken out, claiming she can't get a job because of discrimination against her sexuality.
Clare Brown, who lives with her wife in Sydney’s western suburbs, is currently on welfare and can only access her father's trust fund if she gets a job or volunteers and contributes to society.
"One clause was to get a job. The second clause was to contribute something to society. Tick those two boxes and access all the money you like," she told A Current Affair.
However, the former private schoolgirl now says that employers won't consider her for a role because she's gay, and she struggles to hold down a position due to having ADHD and high-functioning autism.
Clare, 26, also claims the relatives who control her father's estate are spreading lies about her to deny her access to the funds, including that she trashed his $5 million waterfront property in Darling Point while living there.
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Her father passed away earlier this year, leaving behind funds accumulated while working as a successful stock broker.
Without access to this cash until she fulfils the clauses, Clare and her wife Lauren Barr are living off government payouts as they raise their one-year-old daughter and attempt to rectify the situation.
Lauren's mum, Ruth Barr, told Daily Mail Australia that her unemployed daughter-in-law can't work because 'she hates crowds, can't concentrate and people hate her because she's gay'.
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Clare also backed up these claims while speaking on the 9 News show, stating: "I understand why these people want me to be a functioning member of society, however, you have to look at my diagnosis and realise that is not going to happen. I am not going to learn how to drive because I have ADHD. I have the attention span of a gnat."
But her cousin Jimmy, whose twin brother lives at their former Darling Point property, has slammed his relative's efforts to get the inheritance.
"We'd like her to get a job and contribute to society. Instead of her agreeing to her dead dad's wishes, she turned around and sued her trust," he said. "We are at our wits end. We have done nothing but love Clare."
If you've been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Scope via their website, via email, or on 0808 800 3333. The line is open 9am-6pm Monday to Fridays, and 10am-6pm Saturdays and Sundays
Daisy Phillipson