Greens 'deserve' to take part in debate'

The ACT Greens have expressed disappointment that they will not be taking part in a leaders' debate at the Australian National University today.

With some polls pointing to a Green vote of more than 20 per cent on Saturday, the party says it deserves a place in the debate.

But Greens candidate for Molonglo Shane Rattenbury says his party will not be crashing the event as it did a Labor policy launch last week.

"The event last Friday was a specific situation where the Labor Party had been misrepresenting the Greens policy." he said.

"We felt the need to correct the record there but the Greens are keen to take part in serious debate during this election.

"So far all the debates at leadership level have taken part between the Labor and the Liberal Party and they have failed to address key issues."

Mr Rattenbury says the focus of the leaders' debate is too narrow and will not address key issues like climate change.

"The opinion polls are showing that one in five Canberrans is considering voting for the Greens next weekend," he said.

"That's a very significant proportion of Canberra residents and on that basis it does indicate that a number of people would want to hear what the Greens have got to say when it comes down to having a debate about the key issues affecting the future of the ACT."