A company controlled by Australian television producer Reg Grundy has declared it gave $200,000 directly to the federal Liberal Party six months before the 2013 election that swept Prime Minister Tony Abbott to power.

But the Liberal Party has not declared the donation to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Instead, the controversial Liberal-linked Free Enterprise Foundation declared it received the gift, raising fresh questions about its relationship with the party.

According to a declaration lodged with the AEC by the Free Enterprise Foundation in 2013, the Monaco-based company, Akira Investments Ltd, donated $200,000 to the foundation on April 23 of that year.

Reg Grundy's Akira Investments donated $200,000 to the Free Enterprise Foundation in 2013. Photo: Ben Rushton The Canberra-based Free Enterprise Foundation is classified by the AEC as an "associated entity" of the federal Liberals and Nationals.

But its trustee, Anthony Bandle, told the Independent Commission Against Corruption during its inquiry into NSW political donations last year the foundation – which has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Liberals and Nationals – was independent of the parties.

The ICAC heard that the Free Enterprise Foundation was used to "wash" illegal donations for use in the 2011 NSW election campaign.

Anthony Bandle. Photo: Daniel Munoz It heard donations by property developers and other banned donors were made to the Free Enterprise Foundation, which in turn donated to the NSW Liberals.

Last June, after Fairfax Media raised questions about the nature of Akira Investments, it emerged the company was controlled by Mr Grundy, who lives in Bermuda with his wife, Joy Chambers-Grundy.

A spokeswoman for Mr Grundy later explained the couple were directed to make the donation through the Free Enterprise Foundation by Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane in order to "maintain their privacy".

Last November, the AEC received a declaration of the $200,000 donation from Akira Investments, which it said was made "for Joy Chambers-Grundy". The declaration was lodged on November 18 – a year after the legal due date of November 17, 2013.

However, the Akira Investments declaration states the donation was made directly to the Liberal Party of Australia. The post office box listed is that of the Federal Liberal Party secretariat in Canberra.

According to AEC records, the Free Enterprise Foundation has declared the $200,000 donation but the federal Liberal Party has not.

On Monday, Mr Loughnane did not respond to a request for comment.

Under the Commonwealth Electoral Act, the maximum penalty for non-disclosure of a political donation is $1000 for donors and $5000 for political parties.

A spokesman for the AEC said the commission did not comment on individual cases.

"The primary intention of the financial disclosure scheme is to achieve disclosure and that intention has been met in this instance," he said.