WA upper house gets first female president

Long-serving Labor MP Kate Doust has become Western Australia's first female president of the legislative council, while Sue Ellery will lead the government in the upper house.

Ms Doust said as a mother of three she was prepared to deal with a sometimes boisterous upper house.

"I'm sure I'll be able to cope with 35 members on the floor," she told reporters on Tuesday.

Ms Ellery said she hoped young women and girls would see that holding public leadership positions was something they could aspire to do.