Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has accused some sections of the media of becoming political players.
"There is a huge move by Fairfax at the moment to bring the government down ... they aren't supposed to be political players, but objective reporters of the news," Mr Dutton told ABC Radio.
"I think some of them have morphed into frustrated politicians.
Mr Dutton said Fairfax "was being helped by the ABC".
If people wanted to play mischief the consequences were clear, he said.
"The worst possible outcome would be to allow Bill Shorten and his union mates at the CFMEU to get into The Lodge, to get control of this country," he said.
"It would be a disaster for the economy."
Mr Dutton's outburst follows a Fairfax report on Monday that two unnamed cabinet ministers have told Prime Minister Tony Abbott to dump Treasurer Joe Hockey if the Liberal Party performs badly in the Canning by-election and to call a March federal election.
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