For some reason I had the idea that the temporary partner visa was for people in our situation who, for genuine reasons, do not fill the basic criteria.
Yes, it is, but to count as a partner, you have to have lived together in a genuine and stable relationship
http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/...lationship.htm, so you have to find a way to start that process and be able to prove it by official addressed mail to the same address, joint finances, etc. etc. (details elsewhere on old threads if you search). THEN the partner sponsored temporary work visa
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...milystream.htm will be of use to you - you'll see that they make allowance in that for not yet having lived together for 12 months, although elsewhere a partnership visa requires that.