Nick Xenophon's new upper house MPs have vowed to "shake up" the South Australian parliament, holding the new Liberal government to account on a range of issues.
Mr Xenophon's SA-BEST party will take at least two seats in the Legislative Council despite failing spectacularly to win lower house spots.
Those seats will go to former Xenophon staffer and campaign director Connie Bonaros and former television journalist Frank Pangallo.
Mr Pangallo took immediate aim on Sunday at the major parties over the "dirty campaign" waged against SA-BEST.
"We were only a small fledgling party and suddenly we were the focus of their attention," he said.
"They were worried about us. They were worried about what we could do to shake up parliament, and we will shake it up."
Ms Bonaros said the support for SA-BEST in the upper house showed the party had a strong following and was built on the back of work done previously by Mr Xenophon at both a state and federal level.
"The fact is though, there is no way we could compete, on a fair playing field with what was thrown against us in this campaign," she said.
"What we did demonstrate is how difficult it is to crack the two major parties."
Counting is continuing to determine the final outcome for the council after Saturday's poll but the Liberals look like taking four seats, Labor at least three and possibly four, SA-BEST two with that leaving the Australian Conservatives and the Greens vying for the remaining one or two.
Latest figures have the Liberals with 31.5 per cent of the vote, Labor with 29.7 and SA-BEST with 18.9.
A quota of about seven per cent is required to elect an MP.
Premier-elect Steven Marshall said the Liberals were hopeful of taking four spots, but the final results would take some time to determine.
Outgoing Premier Jay Weatherill said parliament's upper house would now become a critical tool in Labor's capacity to hold the new government to account.
"The upper house will be an important means by which we prosecute the arguments of opposition," he said.
