The NT government insists the Palmerston hospital has not blown its $150m budget despite the revelation the NT will have to put in more than $60m more.

Despite the revelation that the Northern Territory will have to cough up more than $60 million in additional funding for the Palmerston hospital, the government says there has been no budget blowout.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the $150 million hospital would require an additional $61.7 million for completion, pushing the total cost out to more than $210 million.

Infrastructure Minister Peter Chandler told reporters on Monday that the NT was putting more funds based on what the community wanted, and what services the Health Department said would be needed.

"There is no blow-out of the budget ... we are nowhere near exceeding the budget at this stage," he said.

"The original money that was put up was $150 million; there's been a footprint change that has grown the budget by $10 million to $11 million on top of that, but that's because the hospital is a bigger hospital than what we once had (planned)."

The original 60-bed hospital plan has grown to a 160-bed hospital, with scope for a third level to be added as Palmerston and Darwin's rural areas grow, he said.

Mr Chandler said there was "no doubt" the NT will struggle continually to pay for two full-service hospitals, but he bristled at any suggestion the increased funding was a vote grab for the August NT election.

"I won't apologise for doing things for my electorate, I won't apologise, and if you want to call it pork barrelling, that's what we're each elected to do," Mr Chandler said.

"We all make promises, we make commitments to work hard for our electorates, and any member of parliament no matter what side of politics you're on should not have to apologise for working hard to deliver things for their community."

Labor MP Warren Snowdon said it was time for the NT to be accountable for the hospital, which has been plagued with problems and is currently expected to be operational by May 2018.

"The NT government has failed every milestone they've had to meet, they've had funding penalties against them and the Commonwealth has not held them to account," Mr Snowdon said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said the hospital build has been "an absolute debacle".

"The Territory government needs to do its job and build this hospital," she said.