In May 2022, the High Court of Australia made a decision in the case of Fairbairn v Radecki [2022] HCA 18. This case gives very important commentary on de facto relationships, in particular on the issue of whether a de facto relationship has broken down.
THE FACTS
The parties were in a de facto relationship from around 2005. They lived together, in a property owned by the de facto Wife, but kept their finances “separate”. The couple had even entered into some (non-binding or enforceable) “financial agreements” as to how they would maintain their separate property. They structured their financial affairs around the agreements and acted separately. [...]