Trade Minister Steve Ciobo is hoping to get a better idea of the future of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on a trip to the United States this month.
The regional free trade deal is in serious doubt after President-elect Donald Trump flagged he would begin a US withdrawal from his first day in office.
But US secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson, at a Senate confirmation hearing this week, said he did not oppose the TPP.
Mr Ciobo said talk of the deal being dead is premature, but based on Mr Trump's comments so far, it seemed less likely than likely.
"That notwithstanding, there are different views within the US political system, including by senior congressional Republican leaders, and I think we just need to give the Americans time to work through this issue," he told the ABC on Friday.
He said Australia's ambassador to the US Joe Hockey had been working closely with Trump's transition team since the November election although he suggested the agreement wasn't necessarily top of the agenda.
"They've got bigger fish to fry, frankly, in the short term and that's understandable. But of course, they're open to discussions on the TPP."
Mr Ciobo is lining up meetings with key people in Washington, New York and Los Angeles while in the country for G'day USA events later in January.
""That'll be an opportunity to gain further insight into where things are progressing," he said.
Mr Ciobo did not think people such as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first world leader to meet with the president-elect, could provide particularly useful insight into a future Trump administration.
Mr Abe is visiting Australia this weekend on the second anniversary of the free trade deal between the two nations.
"I think it's best for us to just take some time, let President-elect Trump take inauguration, become President Trump, and let's see how his administration pans out."
