Sally Chandler, a Liberal Party member for more than 30 years and former Senate candidate said it was “absolutely disgraceful” that Tasmania had only had two female senators.

“It’s nothing to do with merit it’s to do with stacking the preselection committee, that’s what they do, that’s what Jonathon Duniam did,” Mrs Chandler said.

Braddon Labor MHA Anita Dow said the Liberals clearly had a deep-seated problem in attracting, retaining and preselecting women.

“The Premier needs to confirm or deny that his office has been complicit in these activities – including whether significant public resources were put into Jonathon Duniam’s plot to take a Senate seat,” Ms Dow said.

“The murky processes of the Liberal Party when handling preselections have been called out and it’s up to the Premier to defend his and his office’s role in them.”

A spokesman for Mr Hodgman said it was a matter for the Liberal Party state director.

Leader of Government business in the House of Assembly Michael Ferguson denied the allegations against Mr Duniam, now Senator Duniam.

Mr Ferguson described Ms Chandler as a friend and “wonderful fellow Liberal.”

“The Liberal Party is a democratic system,” he said.

“It pre-selected Sally Chandler, it pre-selected Jane Howlett, it pre-selected Elise Archer, it works on the merit system.”