Her criticism comes just as incoming prime minister Tony Abbott announces his new cabinet, which is predicted to have only one woman, Julie Bishop.

Senator Boyce, who will retire from the Senate next July, said the Liberal Party did not support women through the parliamentary process.

She said on Monday that the party must act to develop a plan, just as the Labor Party did in 1996.

“I'm shocked and embarrassed by the Liberal Party – and it's had so damn long to fix the problem,” she said.

Senator Boyce said the lack of women at senior levels was not the fault of the newly elected Mr Abbott, whom she had never found to be sexist.

“I don't have a problem with Tony and have no evidence that demonstrates to me any sort of sexism,” she said.

But the senator was far more critical of the party itself.

“It's a systemic problem in the party – how embarrassing to be a government with only one woman at a senior level,” Senator Boyce said.

The Liberal Party had to confront the issue if it was to overcome the gender imbalance at all levels, including preselected candidates.

Senator Boyce has floated the idea of an organisation to emulate the success of Emily's List, an organisation which seeks to develop women candidates with progressive values.

She has even developed a possible name, Foundation 51, which would function to develop and recruit candidates.

The senator said that while women might be attracted to the party initially, they did not stay.

“Women come to the Liberal Party, have a look at us and the processes are such that not a lot of them stay around,” she said.

“We need a conscious development of a plan to ensure we increase the depth of women in the talent pool."

Senator Boyce's position in the Queensland Senate will be filled by James McGrath.