The Greens will now head into the poll without an incumbent candidate and the higher profile this brings.

Dr Foskey said yesterday she was retiring from local politics after just one four-year Assembly term to work as a social and environmental activist.

She cited the death of her friend, environmentalist Val Plumwood, earlier this year as a spur for her departure, and said she would continue to work for the Greens in the election campaign.

''I feel that I leave when I'm at my strongest because I really know how the place works,'' she said.

But there were no firm job opportunities on the horizon.

''The truth is I am wide open, I have got several months to establish what I do and where I go,'' she said.

''It is quite exciting but a little bit scary to not actually know what the future holds. But I am absolutely sure it holds something good.''

Dr Foskey pointed to her campaign for the residents of the Narrabundah Long-Stay Caravan Park as one of the highlights of her Assembly career.

But she said there was more work to be done and she was determined to spend her last months in the Assembly pushing for container deposit legislation and a viable public transport system.

She said the Labor majority at the Assembly had left the Stanhope Government arrogant and in some cases ''extremely rude''.

Dr Foskey is the only Greens member in the Assembly and was elected to the seat of Molonglo in 2004.

In 2006 she was forced to move house when it was revealed that she continued to live in a $270-a-week public housing cottage while earning an MLA's salary.

Dr Foskey said the Greens had never been stronger after gaining 21 per cent of the vote in the Senate election and she was confident that the party would win in Molonglo despite her decision to leave.

She said people mostly voted for parties rather than individuals.

''People know the Greens' names and I believe that with the candidates being launched next week there'll be enough time for the community to get to know them.''

The Greens will unveil their preselected candidates next week.

In Molonglo the party could field youth worker Meredith Hunter, who polled well at the last ACT election.

Other former candidates such as Amanda Bresnan and acrobat and performer Elena Kirschbaum could also run.

Independent MLA Richard Mulcahy called Dr Foskey a diligent and hard-working member of the Assembly who did a great deal to push the agenda of her party.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said he wished Dr Foskey well and had enjoyed a cordial and productive relationship with her.