Attorney-General George Brandis insists the federal government isn't trying to alienate Muslims with moves to set up a specific frontbench position to combat Islamic radicalism.
"The government knows the vast majority of Australia's Muslim people are peace loving people," Senator Brandis told the Nine Network.
The post, to be announced within days, will aim to build better relations with at-risk communities and tackle the appeal of jihadist teaching.
The new minister assisting the prime minister on counter-terrorism Michael Keenan plans to meet with Muslim community groups across Australia for an "intensive" round of consultations.
"It's very important that we understand that while we are targeting, relentlessly, people who may do the wrong thing or harm Australia's national security, we are not doing that because of anyone's background," he told Seven Network.
Nationals MP Andrew Broad doesn't support the idea of having a specific minister for Islamic communities.
"Do we have a Hindu (minister), do you want to divide people up like that, I don't think so?" he told reporters in Canberra.
Instead the focus should be on interaction and community engagement.
Mr Broad pointed to the role sport played in multiculturalism at a Robinvale school in his Victorian rural electorate where 415 students came from 54 different language backgrounds.
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