Labor has scraped back into power in the Northern Territory, with Chief Minister Paul Henderson shouldering the blame for the mistakes that prompted a massive voter backlash.
Mr Henderson today continued to sidestep questions about the style and timing of his government's lightning 19-day campaign, which resulted in a shock nine per cent swing against it at last Saturday's election.
The final result was determined only today with Labor being returned to a third term in government with 13 seats - a majority of just one.
The Country Liberal Party (CLP) took its representation from four, after a Labor landslide in 2005, to 11. Independent Gerry Wood rounds at the 25-seat parliament.
Senior Opposition federal frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull seized on the NT results, saying Australians were disenchanted with Labor and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
"This is an extraordinary swing and it underlines the disillusionment Australians are seeing and feeling with the lack of leadership," he said.
"(Mr Rudd) promised action and delivered nothing."
Concerns have how been raised for the West Australian Labor government, after Premier Alan Carpenter called a snap election for September 6.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard cautioned against reading too much into Labor's setback in the Territory, which was the first jurisdiction to go to the poll since Mr Rudd's victory last November.
"I don't think that we can construe from the Northern Territory some grand lessons for Western Australia," she said.
Earlier in the day, Mr Henderson brushed off speculation that calling an election 11-months early to provide "certainty" for a $12 billion gas plant had not sat well with voters.
"I still say the reason to call the early election was a valid reason," he said.
But his tune had changed by the afternoon.
"Obviously mistakes have been made in the campaign. I acknowledge that and I take those mistakes on my shoulders," he said.
"The electorate has sent the government a big message."
However, Mr Henderson declined to elaborate beyond admitting his confidence had taken a battering.
"I'm not going to stand here now and say this was a mistake or that's a mistake," he said.
Opposition Leader Terry Mills conceded defeat shortly after 4.30pm (CST) today.
"I would like to congratulate Paul Henderson and concede that I am the Opposition Leader," Mr Mills said.
"It appears the way the numbers have fallen means that the Country Liberals have done exceptional work but fallen short."
The make up of the NT parliament had rested on the result in Fannie Bay, which was vacated at Saturday's election by former chief minister Clare Martin.
With about 150 postal votes left to count, former Labor staffer Michael Gunner late today was 92 votes ahead of high profile CLP candidate, former Darwin Lord Mayor Garry Lambert.
If Labor had failed to secure Fannie Bay, Mr Wood would have held the balance of power in a hung parliament.
Although he refused to say where his allegiances lay, it was widely spectacled Mr Wood would have sided with the Opposition.
