Hi everyone,
Those hesitating to lodge their 309/100 papers, this article might help ( hopefully not scare you ) in your decision.
Proposal to the Migration laws for partners has been made to make 309/100 application a two-step process:
1) Sponsors should be approved first
2) Then applicants can lodge application.
Apparently, this would ensure no applicants would waste their time and effort lodging an application that would be refused later, on the grounds that sponsors are ineligible for various reasons.
Here's the link:
https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/changes-for-the-australia-partner-visa-application-separate-sponsorship-application-and-possibly-more.html
Here's hoping though it's quashed by the opposition since it will make the process more convoluted than it is. But the senate numbers have changed favouring the coalition which threatens to push through with these changes in 2018.