If her application for a partnership-based visa is approved, it is a 'relationship based visa' so she can travel alone and on her CAM visa (see "Who can come to NZ without requesting to travel" here
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...y-requirements). The only other realistic option is the Critical Purpose Visitor Visa and yes, you would need to be travelling together for that and it would be a fairly difficult application to make, as I assume you haven't lived together for very long. Obviously it is also higher risk because you would have to travel to her country and then submit your request to travel, which could well be declined.