Treasurer Scott Morrison says Ian Macfarlane's switch to the Nationals is not a done deal and won't trigger a frontbench change.
Mr Macfarlane's Groom electorate council will this Saturday consider whether to approve him sitting in the federal Nationals party room.
But the Queensland Liberal National Party state executive has also stepped in, planning to meet on December 14 to consider blocking the former minister's move.
Mr Morrison said Mr Macfarlane had recently undergone a preselection in which he pledged to sit in the Liberal party room in Canberra, which Queensland LNP members are entitled to do under the amalgamated party's rules.
"It's not a fait accompli and they (the LNP) can decide to do whichever they like," Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Monday.
Mr Macfarlane's decision followed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull dumping him from the ministry in September after ousting Tony Abbott for the top job.
Nationals leader Warren Truss made a media appearance with Mr Macfarlane in Groom on Monday.
Mr Turnbull was due to attend but cancelled on Sunday.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said disunity was starting to bite in the coalition.
"He (Mr Turnbull) has got a problem when he is too chicken to show up to see the deputy prime minister," Mr Shorten said.
Mr Macfarlane said he and the prime minister were "good mates" and he would not make any further comment until after the LNP executive meeting.
Confusion reigned over whether Mr Macfarlane's move would entitle the Nationals to another ministry spot.
Mr Morrison said any change in numbers of MPs in the two party rooms "doesn't automatically trigger a change in the ministry".
He said a reshuffle occurred either when the leader chose to do so or after an election.
"There is no trigger event for any reshuffle at all," Mr Morrison said.
However, Mr Truss told reporters the Nationals were already due an extra cabinet spot based on the proportion of Nationals to Liberals.
"Technically, the Nationals are under our entitled representation in the cabinet," he said.
"That's been the case since the size of the cabinet was increased and that's an issue which will need to be addressed in due course."
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