The man responsible for community safety and multiculturalism in Scott Morrison's new ministry has pledged to work closely with Islamic, Sudanese and other key communities but is making no apology for leading the charge against "African gangs" in his home city.

Liberal MP Jason Wood, a supporter of Peter Dutton in last year's leadership coup, will now work underneath Mr Dutton in the Home Affairs portfolio as assistant minister for customs, community safety and multicultural affairs.

Liberal MP Jason Wood is the new assistant minister for customs, community safety and multicultural affairs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

While Mr Wood was yet to be sworn in and receive his first briefings, he said he intended to focus on nationwide versions of integration and intervention programs that had already succeeded in his own multicultural electorate of La Trobe, in outer-eastern Melbourne.

"When you say 'there's nothing to see, nothing to worry about', you then can't go and get funding for all these programs," Mr Wood told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Tuesday as he prepared to join Mr Morrison's outer ministry.