Portia De Rossi, star of Ally McBeal, wife of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and former Melbournite, has criticised Julia Gillard for her inaction on same-sex marriage, during an interview with ABC Radio.

Portia stated that she “always thought Australia would pass equal rights law long before America would.”

This comes just after the Greens motion urging Aussie MPs to gauge their constituents about gay marriage, passed through the Lower House.

She also stated that she is “a little disappointed with the new Prime Minister,” and believes that gay people shouldn’t be treated as second class citizens.

Julia Gillard has agreed to bring forward the ALP meeting to sort out the issue of same-sex marriage before the next election, but has said that she will not necessarily be swayed by the conferences decision.

When asked about the state of same-sex marriage in the US, Portia said: “We’re kind of in a bit of a stalemate here, too.”

“Marriage in California was only legal for I believe about six or seven months, so while Ellen and I are still legally married, gay couples can’t marry here at this moment,” she explained.

Same-sex marriage is expected to be given a ballot initiative during the 2012 US election in California.