“I will not comment on internal party matters, I wasn’t at the meeting and was not even in the electorate,” he said.

“I was in Wagga campaigning for a by-election down there,” he said. “It’s all over my social media.”

But he would not categorically rule out having a hand in the shake-up, again stating it “was a matter for party members”.

The drama in the Liberal Party at federal level over the past week has filtered down to a local level with a coup within the Gilmore FEC.

It is understood at the local annual general meeting on Sunday, chaired by former Defence Minister now Foreign Minister Marise Paine, a number of Ann Sudmalis’ supporters were voted out of senior positions.

The Gilmore FEC is responsible for organising and running the campaign for the federal member.

Adam Straney, who earlier this year considered standing against Mrs Sudmalis for preselection for Gilmore, before ruling himself out, has been was elected FEC president.

Jan Gregory has replaced the long-serving retiring secretary Liz Tooley and treasurer is Dave Gregory. The FEC executive committee also includes a number of other committee members.

It was reported Mrs Sudmalis was so incensed by the vote, she yelled at party members at the meeting before storming out.

The alleged incident was the focus of some robust questioning by local media at the latest concept design and environmental assessment launch for the new Nowra Bridge on Monday.

However Mrs Sudmalis was not buying into any of the speculation, repeatedly stating it was “a party matter” and refusing to talk about it.

She would not answer questions as to who she thought was behind the moves or if she was quite upset and walked out.

Mrs Sudmalis said Grant Schultz, who has declared an interest of standing for Liberal Party preselection for Gilmore, was “within his rights to nominate”.

“In the last week we’ve seen we live in a robust democracy and [Mr Schultz] is exercising his democratic right to challenge,” Mrs Sudmalis said.

Read more: PM’s office intervenes to stave off challenge to Sudmalis

PM’s glowing endorsement of Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis

Scott Morrison steps in

Mrs Sudmalis said she was expecting such questions after the last week, not surprising considering Gilmore is a marginal seat, where she holds just a margin of just 0.73 per cent.

A surprising notable absentee at the bridge announcement was Kiama MP Gareth Ward, who was “carrying out other parliamentary duties”.

It was left to South Coast MP Shelley Hancock to field questions about the machinations in the federal Liberal Party over the last week and whether they would hamper her own or Mr Ward’s re-elections next March.

“We are just getting on doing what we are doing and getting things done,” she said.

“I’m not worried about the March election. I think we have done a great job, NSW has a fantastic premier and we have some good projects springing up all over the South Coast.

“The Moona Moona Creek bridge has just opened, we purchased the Shoalhaven Anglican School site, the Bay and Basin ambulance station is due to be finished and we are starting on the new Bay and Basin police station.

“I don’t think what has gone on federally has damaged our brand - people are smarter than that.”

Mrs Hancock would not be drawn on rumours a state MP was behind the Gilmore FEC spill.

“It’s an internal party matter and should not be discussed by party members,” she said.

“There are rules and I don’t behave like that.”