At least three Federal Government ministers donated close to $100,000 to the Liberal Party in the lead-up to last year's federal election, but the Australian public may have to wait to find out if the Prime Minister donated up to $1 million to the campaign.

Key points: Liberal Party received almost $15 million in donations throughout 2015-16, AEC figures show

Liberal Party received almost $15 million in donations throughout 2015-16, AEC figures show It is still not clear if Malcolm Turnbull donated to the election campaign

It is still not clear if Malcolm Turnbull donated to the election campaign Largest donation to the federal Liberal Party was from mining magnate Paul Marks

New figures released today by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) show that the Liberal Party received almost $15 million in donations throughout 2015-16, up from about $10.3 million the previous year.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton donated $50,000 and Senator Simon Birmingham also donated $20,000.

Liberal Party federal director Tony Nutt later clarified that Mr Dutton's donation was actually made by the Minister's local LNP electorate organisation.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann donated $29,000, but his office stated that the contribution was made by a Liberal Party Campaign Committee and was not a personal donation.

Greg Mirabella — husband of failed Liberal candidate and former MP Sophie Mirabella — donated $35,000.

It is still not clear if Mr Turnbull donated to the campaign, as reported last year.

An initial search by the ABC failed to find any evidence of a donation by Mr Turnbull or any companies listed in his register of interests.

Donations made in the final days of the election — on July 1 or 2 — will not be disclosed until next year and Mr Turnbull has never confirmed any figure for personal donations.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today criticised the Prime Minister for the delay in publicising any potential donations.

"I don't understand why Malcolm Turnbull thinks it should be a secret how much he gave to the Liberal Party," he said.

"He's going to have to tell someone, at some pint it's going to be public... It sounds tricky, it looks shifty."

Mr Shorten added that Labor politicians paid a proportion of their salary to the party.

The Labor Party received more than $10.3 million in donations, up from $7.3 million in 2014-15.

The source of 49 per cent of the money received by major parties last financial year remains unknown — politicians and their parties derived $77 million from undisclosed sources.

Last financial year, $218 million was received by associated entities, which is more than was received by all the political parties added together.

Only donations over $13,000 had to be declared to the electoral commission, which means many of the gifts received by the parties remain private.

Mining magnate makes largest donation

The largest donation to the federal Liberal Party was $1.3 million on July 2 from mining magnate and Nimrod Resources chairman Paul Marks.

Stuart Robert resigned from the Turnbull ministry in early 2016 after it was revealed he had shares in a trust linked to the Australian company.

Mr Robert travelled to China in 2014 to witness a signing ceremony for a deal between Nimrod and a Chinese business, but claimed he was not aware of any interest or connection to Mr Marks.

Mr Marks is also a close friend of former prime minister Tony Abbott, who billed taxpayers to attend the mining magnate's birthday bash in 2015.

Mr Marks also donated $30,000 to the Tasmanian Liberal Party on May 26, via another company P Marks Investment Pty Ltd.

Parakeelia, the Liberal Party owned software firm, made almost $728,000 of payments to the party throughout 2015-16.

Only $13,000 was classified as a donation, with the other five payments listed as "other".

Parakeelia — whose receipts for the year totalled more than $1.1 million — came under scrutiny last year after it was revealed the company had pumped upwards of $1 million into Liberal Party coffers over recent years.

Former politicians Ian Macfarlane and Craig Emerson also donated $69,000 and $1,500 to their parties respectively, while the Nick Xenophon Team received $250,000 from party leader Senator Nick Xenophon, filed under "other receipts".

Liberal Democrats receive $20k from cigarette company

Former politician Clive Palmer came under scrutiny last year after it was revealed his companies donated almost $10 million to his political party throughout 2014-15, in addition to almost $26 million the previous financial year.

The latest figures show that the Palmer United Party — which now has no representatives in Parliament — declared more than $2.2 million in receipts throughout 2015-16, including a donation of $400,000 from Mineralogy and more than $900,000 listed under "other receipt" from the same company.

The Greens received close to $3 million in donations, including $500,000 from entrepreneur Graeme Wood and $500,000 from high-end gambler Duncan Turpie.

Climate science denier Ian Pilmer donated $40,000 to Family First.

The Cormack Foundation, which raised funds for the Liberal Party, also donated $25,000.

Both Mr Pilmer and the Foundation donated $45,000 and $25,000 respectively to the Liberal Democrats.

But a bigger donation — totalling $200,000 — came from Roostam Sadri, an Adelaide man previously investigated by the authorities.

In a statement to the ABC, the Australian Federal Police said the investigation found insufficient evidence to support the allegation of bribery.

The Liberal Democrats also received $20,000 from cigarette company Philip Morris, which also donated $12,800 to the Nationals.

Labor and the Liberal Party do not accept donations from big tobacco.

Money donated by Chinese interests

Luo Chuangxiong donated $50,000 to Labor in 2015-16, following on from a total of $200,000 in donations in 2013-14.

Mr Luo participated in the Chinese Business Leader roundtable meeting convened by former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell and facilitated by Huang Xiangmo of Yuhu in April 2014.

As an honorary chairman of the Chao Shan Association of Australia, Mr Luo is frequently involved in meeting and greeting senior political figures from China.

Hong Kong Kingston Investment Co. Ltd, headed by Chau Chak Wing, donated a total of $150,000 to Labor and $710,00 to the Liberal Party.

Mr Chau is linked to a partly state-backed newspaper, the Australian New Express Daily, launched by then NSW premier Bob Carr in 2004.

Mr Carr is also an honorary president of the Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange, of which Mr Chau is president.

Top Education Institute donated more than $47,000 to the Liberal Party across eight separate donations and $23,500 to the Labor Party in the 2015-16 period.

Late last year, Sam Dastyari resigned from Labor's frontbench after it was revealed that the Institute reimbursed the Commonwealth after the Senator blew his parliamentary travel budget.

Nimbin Hemp Embassy also donated $17,000 to the Help End Marijuana Prohibition Party.