The Northern Territory government has defeated a motion of no confidence but has been wounded in a day-long debate, with calls for the departure of the chief minister and treasurer.
The minority Country Liberals government holds only 12 seats in the Legislative Assembly but former CLP MP turned independent Larisa Lee voted with it against the motion, 13-9.
Independents Gerry Wood, Robyn Lambley and Speaker Kezia Purick abstained.
Lambley, a former deputy chief minister who resigned from the CLP earlier this year after she was sacked from cabinet for orchestrating a failed coup against Chief Minister Adam Giles, called on him and Treasurer Dave Tollner to go if the party was to survive.
The NT has fixed-term elections with the next due on August 27.
"I don't think this government will make it `til August," Ms Lambley said.
"The continuing dysfunction of this government means it will become impotent, it will be paralysed by its inability to work as a team.
"The treasurer has to go, and, in my opinion, the chief minister has to go for the CLP to survive."
Labor Opposition Leader Michael Gunner brought on the motion on Tuesday morning, accusing the government of repeatedly betraying voters.
But Attorney-General John Elferink accused Labor of political grandstanding and being irresponsible in trying to bring on an early election.
Mr Giles called on Mr Gunner to apologise to Territorians for misusing the third-last day of sittings for the year on a motion they knew would fail, at an expense of $8000 per hour, or $40,000 during the day.
After this week parliament will break until February 9.
