The Country Liberals party (CLP) has elected a woman as president after the defections of five high-profile female members in the past year sparked accusations of it being a boys’ club.

New president Tory Mencshelyi, who was voted in at the party’s Central Council meeting in Batchelor on the weekend, said it was an “upbeat” gathering.

“I believe everybody knows that we’ve been through some hard times but everybody within the Central Council meeting believes that it’s best to work within the party and to try to resolve issues within,” she said.