Federal Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has been urged to decline any offer of a ministry in a minority Labor government.
Mr Oakeshott will confer with Prime Minister Julia Gillard later on Friday about her offer of a regional affairs portfolio.
The MP will issue a statement on Friday afternoon confirming his intentions.
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But ahead of this decision, fellow Independent Nick Xenophon has advised Mr Oakeshott to decline any offer of a ministry, arguing it would compromise his kudos as an unaligned MP.
"It would be a poisoned chalice for him," Senator Xenophon told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It would be good for a Labor government but not so good for him."
Senator Xenophon has suggested Mr Oakeshott instead chair a committee on regional Australia, which would give him scope to act as a watchdog on projects.
Mr Oakeshott's decision on a ministry would also give the prime minister the chance to reshuffle the rest of her frontbench team.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd is expected to be given foreign affairs.
It has been suggested the incumbent Foreign Minister Stephen Smith could move into the vacated finance or defence portfolios.
Penny Wong is also expected to be moved out of the climate change portfolio, possibly to become Attorney-General, so Greg Combet can take over.
If Mr Oakeshott accepted a portfolio, it is believed he would be the first non-Labor MP to be a minister in a federal Labor government since 1904, when barrister Henry Bournes Higgins was made Attorney-General by then prime minister Chris Watson.
