Wait and see on TPP: inquiry told

Australian trade officials are still holding out hope the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal could be voted on in the US Congress in the next month.

Australian trade officials are "cautiously optimistic" the US Congress will vote on a controversial Pacific free trade deal in the next month.

The fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal is looking grim with both US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton turning their backs on the 12 country agreement.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade official Elizabeth Ward told a parliamentary hearing in Canberra on Monday Australia was supporting the Obama administration's last ditch push to have the deal passed during the "lame duck period" before the new president is inaugurated.