Despite pressure from other Labor leaders for a formal party position on gay marriage, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Tuesday that she would allow a conscience vote on the issue.

Gillard is against same-sex marriages, but five state premiers are in favor: Anna Bligh of Queensland, John Robertson of New South Wales, Lara Giddings of Tasmania, Daniel Andrews of Victoria and Katy Gallagher of the Australian Capital Territory.

Senior Labor ministers also support same-sex marriage.

"I will be supporting change in the party's stance for marriage equality at the ALP's National Conference," Finance Minister Penny Wong wrote on the Rainbow Labor Web site. Wong is expecting her first child with partner Sophie Allouache.

Other MPs reported to support changes in the marriage law are Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese and Mark Arbib.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith said a majority of his Western Australia constituents view same-sex marriage as something between the gay couple which the community or state should not interfere with.

Because of Gillard's stand, American singer Melissa Etheridge, who will tour Australia in July 2012, said she would like to have a meeting with the prime minister to share her thoughts about same-sex marriage.

The singer of "Bring Me Some Water" was married to her female partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, in 2003 but they separated in April 2010.

"I think it is good for any nation, any country to embrace all of its people and all of the inalienable rights in all of us because that is the only way we age going to find any peace in our world if we embrace all the differences," Etheridge told The Telegraph.