Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says she won't be supporting a national anti-corruption commission.
Senator Cash is negotiating with crossbench senators in a bid to pass laws to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Many of the crossbenchers want a broad-based commission that oversees not only the construction sector but other industries and the public sector.
Senator Cash said that while she was serious about the negotiations, the government would not support a broad-based commission.
"Some have said they won't support it without a federal ICAC - that is not going to happen," Senator Cash told Sky News on Friday.
She said she would only support amendments that "enhance the effectiveness of the regulator".
The minister said that in any case the ABCC was "not a corruption watchdog".
"It's a workplace regulator and it ensures compliance with the laws that apply to the building and construction industry," she said.