The next problem of course is defining when the relationship started. The start of a relationship is crucial when looking at the acquisition of assets. Then there's the problem of same-sex couples. When the proposed de facto law was introduced to Parliament, there was a strong plea from those wanting gay and lesbian couples included in the Bill. No decision has yet been made about whether same-sex couples will have rights under the Bill.
Problems also arise from the other possible variations and combinations involved with relationships.
If both relationships ended you could potentially have two claims on your property under two different statutes. You can also conceivably be in two or more de facto relationships at the same time, but you cannot be lawfully married to more than one person at the same time. There is no clear picture from the proposed legislation exactly how the law would treat such examples. As was the case with the Matrimonial Property Act 1976, a series of court decisions will be required before it will be possible to predict outcomes in many cases. This is because the wording of the current matrimonial law differs from the wording proposed in the new de facto law.