The young activist is standing for the Greens in the electorate of Canberra, which covers the southern half of the ACT. She has no chance of wresting it from Labor, but her campaign builds on the party's main objective in the ACT - winning a Senate seat for Simon Sheikh.

Her campaign is a microcosm of the Greens' style nationwide - an army of (mostly young) volunteers, boundless enthusiasm and idealism.

"We have huge teams of door knockers, we've got people leafleting, we've got people in shopping centres, we've got people on the phones to people, our office is abuzz,'' she says.

Ms Melrose's passion is environmental conservation and she has worked for several non-government organisations.

Before moving to Canberra, she completed an undergraduate degree in international studies in Sydney before taking a gap year to become a divemaster in Belize.

This year she will finish a Masters in Law (Juris Doctor) at the ANU and hopes to work in environmental law.

''I'm a bit of an adventurer, I love getting out in the wilderness - my parents brought my sister and I up bushwalking, going snorkelling, scuba diving, so I love the natural environment and I think that's what's given me my passion for environmental conservation,'' she says.

Ms Melrose was the postgraduate student president at ANU last year when she was asked to run in the election. "I've always jumped at every opportunity that's come to me, whether it be work or travel opportunities,'' she said.

''I was thinking about a lot of these issues anyway and when I got asked to run I thought, 'what a great opportunity to have a reason to go and talk to people'.

''I don't think many Canberrans realise it's such a tight race in the Senate, so I'm trying to spread the word about that. There's so many things for me at stake in this election.

"On one hand we've got Tony Abbott's job cuts which are really going to hurt the public service, but also hurt small business and the broader community as well.

"And then on the other hand we have Labor's cuts to the university sector which were announced when I was postgraduate student president.

''Students were deeply conflicted when they heard that announcement

because the government is cutting university funding to pay for schools.''

Her enthusiasm means she actually likes door knocking, and she says the response has been positive, even in the Liberal heartland of Tuggeranong.

But at public forums there can be a frosty reception. ''When people have already made up their minds and turn their back and scoff at you or don't actually listen to what you have to say, that's the hardest thing.''

Ms Melrose believes she can shine a light for others wanting to be active in campaigns.

"I am very proud that I am a young person and also a woman who is running for the party, because I think it's important to show people who are younger, who might be thinking of running for politics, but have no idea how to get involved,'' she says.