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Australia

Margie Abbott says she's open to same-sex marriage

Margie Abbott

By Desmond Rutherford | FORESTVILLE, NSW, Australia -- Margie Abbott, wife of the man many expect to be elected the next Prime Minister of Australia, said in an interview with an Australian television network Thursday that the country needs to have a conversation about same-sex marriage.

Her husband and the current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has publicly endorsed and supports gay marriage, are locked in a campaign race that falls into the margin of error in the polls and has most political pundits forecasting a win for Abbott in this coming Saturday's national election. 

Her willingness to discuss the subject with such openness is in direct contrast to her husband, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who has thus far refused to let his Liberal party members have a conscience vote on the issue.

"I suppose at the end of the day I think that love, commitment, are things that should be recognised and I think it's a conversation that Australia needs to have," Abbott said adding "Hopefully going forward that is one that we will have."

But she cautioned that any changes "should be incremental."

Abbott also discussed her husband's sister Christine, who recently announced she is gay;

"We as a family welcome discussion, we're very open and I think Tony, if nothing else, is a great listener and I think that is a great quality in w.hatever you do," she said