Country Liberal Party promises 'new chapter' after Northern Territory election win

Chief Minister-elect Lia Finnochiaro will get straight to work to make the Northern Territory safer, she says.

NT Chief Minister-elect Lia Finocchiaro says she will get straight to work on tackling crime. Source: AAP / (A)manda Parkinson

Key Points

• The Northern Territory election has been won by the Country Liberal Party (CLP).
• Labor suffered a devastating defeat with a swing of 12.3 per cent to the CLP on a two-party preferred basis.
• Outgoing Chief Minister Eva Lawler also lost her seat of Drysdale to a CLP candidate.

The Country Liberal Party (CLP) will form government in the Northern Territory after toppling the government and Chief Minister Eva Lawler in her own seat.

Labor suffered a devastating defeat with a swing of 12.3 per cent to the CLP on a two-party preferred basis, with the ALP gaining just 25.9 per cent of the primary vote.

The CLP was on track to win 14 seats of the 25-seat parliament, with Labor set to take five seats as the others remain undecided.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler was ousted in her seat of Drysdale by the CLP's Clinton Howe.

Chief Minister-elect Lia Finocchiaro, the first woman to lead the CLP in the role, said the hard work on behalf of all Territorians would begin on Sunday in "the start of a new day and a new chapter".

"I will meet with the police commissioner and the chief executive of the Chief Minister and Cabinet to start the work that must immediately begin to make the territory safe," she said in her acceptance speech.

"We will do whatever it takes. We will do whatever it takes to restore community safety."

Finocchiaro said her party would get to work on delivering its plan to reduce crime, rebuild the economy and restore "our lifestyle."

"And we will not let you down."

Lawler says 'goodbye to politics'

Labor will now turn its mind to finding a new leader.

Lawler said it had been an honour to lead the Northern Territory.

"Every day I drove into work I would pinch myself and say this is an honour," she said.

"It is now up to Labor in opposition to rebuild and look forward, but also to listen to what Territorians have said. That is politics."

The NT's Chief Minister Eva Lawler was sworn into the role in December, replacing Natasha Fyles. Source: AAP / (A)manda Parkinson

Lawler said that — although she "would have liked longer" serving in her role — she was looking forward to a sleep, a holiday and reading a good book.

She said she would say goodbye to politics.

"I got into politics accidentally," she told the Labor crowd on Saturday night after conceding defeat.

"I'm the least political person in politics. So I will look to something else at some stage."