Matrimonial Property Law Reform and Equality for Women: Discourses in discord

Abstract

This article scrutinises some of the underlying concepts which have structured law reform debates about matrimonial property and describes findings about the economic consequences of marriage breakdown for women and children. It evaluates aspects of matrimonial property law by reference to debates about the meaning of equality for women and suggests that any successful matrimonial property law reform must move beyond the rhetoric of formal equality in redressing the economic disadvantage currently experienced by women and children after marriage breakdown.