Australia Bargains with Marriage Equality

As Australian leaders continued to negotiate Monday on forming a new government, Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie presented a list of demands including a conscience vote on marriage equality to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott.

According to The Australian, the pro-equality Wilkie presented the list of demands late Monday afternoon in meetings with Gillard and Abbott. Neither Gillard nor Abbott support marriage equality.

“Mr Wilkie's national demands include maximum $1 bets and $120/hour loss limits on pokies machines, an increase to all government pensions, including dental care in medicare, a conscience vote on gay marriage and increased aged care funding,” reported The Australian.

Wilkie is one of four politicians playing the role of “kingmaker” as the parties struggle to form a minority government in the wake of national elections that left Australia with its first hung parliament since World War II.