Australian Conservative Leader for Marriage Equality

Campbell Newman (pictured), the Liberal National Party leader in the Australian state of Queensland, said he supports marriage equality but would not push for it in his state because he does not see enough evidence of public support.

The Brisbane Times reports that Newman made the statement Sunday on Sky News, where he said that more pressing issues need to be addressed in Queensland.

Marriage equality advocates welcomed the personal support from Newman, the first from a state conservative party in Australia, but they pushed against his assessment of low public support.

"A Galaxy poll commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality in October last year showed 62 per cent of Australians supported reform to allow for gay marriage, while 78 per cent of respondents called for a federal conscience vote on the issue," reports the Times.

The remarks from Newman could help in the fight to move national leaders on marriage equality. Prime Minister Julia Gillard of the Labor Party and Tony Abbott, the federal head of the Liberal National Party, both oppose marriage equality.