Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles says he is “disappointed” to have lost his majority in Parliament, but insisted it is business as usual for his Country Liberals party Government.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and member for Goyder Kezia Purick announced she would leave the governing Country Liberals party on Monday morning.

Ms Purick’s resignation means Mr Giles now does not have a majority in Parliament, though Ms Purick said she would not support a motion of no-confidence to “bring the Government down” and key independent member Gerry Wood also dismissed the idea.

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“Today has been a very disappointing day to see my good friend Kezia Purick step outside from the Country Liberals party to sit as an independent,” Mr Giles said at a media conference on Monday afternoon.

“Kezia’s always been a good mate and will continue to be so.”

Mr Giles indicated Ms Purick would continue to serve as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, as he sought to reassure voters it was business as usual for his Government.

“Yesterday in the Northern Territory there was a conservative government, today there is a conservative government and tomorrow there will be a conservative government,” he said.

Ms Purick said she wanted to see an anti-corruption body set up in the NT, similar to ICAC in New South Wales.

Her calls came after the chief of staff of government minister Bess Price, Paul Mossman, was charged with corruption.

But Mr Giles ruled out supporting the idea.

“I will not be supporting an ICAC in the Northern Territory,” he said.

Mr Giles cited the cost of running similar bodies in other states as a reason he did not support an anti-corruption body.

He also said he had full confidence in the NT Police to deal with any wrongdoings.

“Clearly we are trying to be more open in the way that we make decisions,” he said.

The Country Liberals party was elected with a 16 seat majority in the 25 seat chamber and now has only 12 members.

Opposition Leader Michael Gunner has labelled the move “another CLP bombshell” and said he wants an early election.

“My preference is that Territorians have an opportunity to have a say about their own future,” he said.

“That’s why I’ve put to Kezia Purick today that I think that there’s been three years of bad government from the CLP in the Northern Territory and I cannot see how a CLP government now plunged into minority can provide better government than what we’ve seen over the last three years.”