Australia's New South Wales premier supports gay marriage

Australia's New South Wales (NSW) Premier Barry O'Farrell has come out in support of same-sex marriage, local media reported on Friday.

O'Farrell said as a Liberal he supports the concept of same-sex marriage.

Fairfax Media reported that O'Farrell would vote for a bill to legalize gay marriage if a parliamentary inquiry in NSW found the state could act alone.

"My view -- a view that I've come to in recent years -- is that as a Liberal who believes that commitment and family units are one of the best ways in which society is organized, I support the concept of same-sex marriage," O'Farrell told Fairfax Media.

"Ultimately, people caring for each other works side by side with governments to create better communities."

However, the premier said it would be best if it was legislated at a federal level.

"Let's do it in the nation's parliament, and let's catch up with New Zealand again," he said.

New Zealand is the 13th country in the world to legalize gay marriage and the first in the Asia-Pacific.