"A partner visa gives you working rights."
There are 2 Partner Visas an onshore and an offshore, currently the processing time for the onshore is around 22 months (from memory), the offshore from the USA processing time is faster at around 14 months. Both of these visas when granted have full work rights.
If you lodge a onshore application you are granted a bridging visa and that also has full work rights when the current visa expires - there is no bridging visa for offshore applications.
To lodge a onshore Partner Visa application you need a visa that allows that, from the USA it is best to get an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). This visa does not have the 8503 "No Further Stay" condition attached and has 3 month stay periods and valid for 1 year, but No Work condition.
There is a question when applying for this visa about marital status.
During one of the 3 month stay periods an onshore application needs to be made, after this you don't exit Australia the ETA then expires and your Bridging Visa A with full work rights kicks in but no travel rights ( So for a minimum of 3 months you can not work).
Many employers don't understand the system and don't employ people on a Bridging Visas, even when the onshore 820 visa is granted it is only a temporary visa and also not liked. The second stage of the onshore application is commenced 2 years after the first stage is submitted. The Processing for this is also long between 18 months and 2 years.
So the reality is it is not a great avenue to try get work rights in Australia and unlikely to succeed with a non genuine relationship.