Leaders' pressure test moves for MasterChef

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will go head-to-head this Sunday night at 6.30pm AEST in the only likely debate of the election campaign.

The major parties had been wrangling over the details of the debate after Ms Gillard indicated there would only be one debate during the campaign.

The debate also had to be moved from its traditional timeslot of 7.30pm to avoid going (cliquez ici pour suivre le lien)">Golden Goose Shoes up against the finale of the highly popular MasterChef program.

Sky News political editor David Speers will host the debate, while ABC News 24 political editor Chris Uhlmann, Daily Telegraph political reporter Malcolm Farr and Australian Financial Review political editor Laura Tingle will make up the panel.

ALP national secretary Karl Bitar has confirmed that the major parties have come to an agreement on the debate.

He says the rules of the debate and moderator will be chosen by the National Press Club.

Ms Gillard says it is up to voters to choose if they watch the leaders' election debate and does not appear to be concerned by competition for viewers.

"Well, I'm assuming I will neither be dancing nor cooking," she said.

"Australia's a great country and one of the things about it is you get to pick what you want to watch on TV."

Meanwhile, Greens leader Bob Brown has called for an independent commission to be created to ensure there are three leaders' debates in every election campaign.

Senator Brown says he would be happy to participate in a leaders' debate but the major parties do not want him there.

"We should have a leaders' debate commission which independently ensures there's three debates in the run to any election - including in the last week before the election," he said.

"One of them [should] concentrate on the Senate which is a very, very powerful house with great responsibilities."

Speaking to ABC2 News Breakfast earlier this morning, Senator Brown said he was being left on the sidelines because neither Ms Gillard nor Mr Abbott were keen to be questioned on their climate change policies.

"It does indicate that the Greens are the (cliquez ici pour suivre le lien) real challengers to both the big parties," he said.

"I've as much chance of making that debate as I have of making the finals of MasterChef."