Independent MP Rob Oakeshott says new figures released from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) give voters a reason to be cynical about Australia's democracy.

The data reveals the spending of tobacco companies, the mining industry and clubs as they fought to reverse government policy in the past financial year.

It shows the ALP and the Liberal and National parties raked in more than $200 million in donations.

"Based on these figures of 2011, many, I think, are questioning whether the real contest in Australia is ALP versus LNP or really just what we are seeing is a contest of $90 million versus $113 million," Mr Oakeshott said.

Each year political donors must declare to the AEC donations over a certain amount. Last financial year the threshold was $11,500.

Groups which fund political campaigns must also make declarations. Last financial year tobacco companies spent big money fighting plain packaging laws.

The figures show British American Tobacco (BAT), Phillip Morris and Imperial Tobacco spent almost $14 million individually and through lobby group the Alliance of Australian Retailers.

BAT and Philip Morris also gave state and federal Liberal and National parties nearly $264,000.

Labor stopped accepting gifts from cigarette makers in 2004.

Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has reiterated her call for her party's rivals to stop accepting tobacco donations.

"I think people are very uncomfortable at what big wealthy companies can afford to do in our political system," she said.

But the Opposition has defended its decision to accept donations from tobacco firms.

"They're a company that are legally established in our country, it is a free country," Opposition frontbencher Andrew Robb said.

Mr Robb says the Coalition's support for the Government's plain packaging laws is evidence it is not influenced by the money.

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'Great concern'

The campaign against a mining tax was winding down last financial year, compared to the pervious 12 months.

Still, the AEC's data shows the Minerals Council and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies spent a total of just over $6 million on their political campaigns

Clubs and hotels also pulled out the cheque books after independent MP Andrew Wilkie struck a now-defunct pokies deal to help Labor form government.

Clubs NSW has disclosed that it spent about $1 million last financial year on political campaigns and more than $400,000 on donations.

The NSW division of the Australian Hotels Association told the AEC it gave nearly $860,000 in donations, mainly to the Coalition.

Mr Oakeshott says he is concerned about the influence vested interests put on public policy development.

"I think we desperately need political donation reform in Australia; it's been promised and it must be delivered," he said.

"(A total of) $203 million in just one year alone are the sorts of numbers that in my view should be cause for great concern from Australian voters.

"We know it will make a difference on the major parties' political platforms but they are reticent to say where.

"And that's the unknown known and that is the frustration - that we see such large amounts of money going into these political parties - a quarter of a billion dollars in just one year - yet they all put their hands in the air, say they're clean hands, and say this sort of money is not making a difference. Come on."

Mr Oakeshott says he would be surprised if he had received more than $1,000 in donations in 2011.

'Reform needed'

According to the figures, the Greens received the biggest donation from any one person last financial year.

Graeme Wood, the founder of travel website Wotif, gave almost $1.5 million to the party, but Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon still says electoral reform is needed.

"The Greens have been a consistent voice that we need to have electoral funding reform," she said.

"We need to bring in these bans on political donations from corporations and other organisations.

"That would impact on us and other political parties. What differentiates the Greens from the other parties is that we have been a consistent voice for reforms whereas Labor and the Coalition at the federal level have turned their back on this issue."

She says the former special minister of state, Senator John Faulkner, tried to reform political financing but the Government has turned its back on the idea.