GREENS leader Richard di Natale will push to be included in next year’s federal election debate alongside the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader.

Federal election debates have only included the Labor and Coalition leaders of the day since the first televised duel between Bob Hawke and Andrew Peacock more than three decades ago.

Senator di Natale said the Greens presented an alternative set of policies on climate change and refugees that challenged both Labor and the Coalition.

“Absolutely, I think the time has come to include the Greens in a televised leaders debate,” the Deans Marsh-based senator said.

“When you have the level of representation that we have in the Federal Parliament with 10 senators and a presence in the House of Representative, it’s important that our view be heard.

“One of the great challenges for us is lack of awareness and a leadership debate is one of those times when there’s more focus.”

Australian election debates do not have a set framework like the United States and can be altered or side-stepped by the PM of the day.

Mr Hawke declined to take on Coalition leader John Howard ahead of the 1987 election although a debate has been held ahead of every federal election since.

“I’ll be discussing the idea with Malcolm Turnbull but it will be a tough ask,” Senator di Natale said. “Neither party has been receptive to the idea in the past and there’s no set conventions, so the number of debates and the style of debate can be changed from one election to the next.”

Great Britain’s first-ever election debate in 2010 included then Labour PM Gordon Brown, Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg.

Mr Clegg, leader of the small centrist party, made a strong impression during the televised debate and for a short time topped opinion polls on the back of what was dubbed “Cleggmania.”

“That was an example where (British) voters got the opportunity to hear a third voice and they liked what they heard,” Senator di Natale said. “There’s a big audience involved in those debates, that’s why the major parties would be concerned.”

Former Greens leader Bob Brown attempted several times to be included in federal election debates but was knocked back on every occasion.