De facto Relationships

What is the difference between a marriage and a de facto relationship?

Marriages recognised by Australian law are at this date only those celebrated between two people. Australian law only allows parties to be married to one person at any given time.

A de-facto relationship is marriage-like in nature between two people, including those of the same sex, who have not been validly married.

What is a de facto relationship?

A de-facto relationship is defined in the Family Law Act. Some of the factors considered in defining a couple as ‘de-facto’ are: