Senator Arthur Sinodinos has refused to take any responsibility for the alleged funnelling of illegal donations to the NSW Liberals' 2011 election campaign.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is looking into what Senator Sinodinos knew about the Canberra-based Free Enterprise Foundation while he was chairman of the state party's finance committee.
The foundation is an alleged Liberal slush fund used to launder banned donations for the state party.
The ICAC has heard the body donated $700,000 to the NSW Liberals before the 2011 poll.
Counsel assisting Geoffrey Watson SC asked what Senator Sinodinos did to ascertain the identity of the donors to ensure they were not property developers.
"Nothing," Senator Sinodinos said on Friday.
"I don't accept any responsibility for money being raised from prohibited donors," he later said.
He acknowledged the finance committee oversaw donations being made to the Liberal Party, but denied that as chairman it was his role to look at the identity of the donors.
Senator Sinodinos said it was the responsibility of the Liberal Party's agent, finance director Simon McInnes, to ensure the party's donations complied with the law.
The senator admitted that donations being funnelled through the Free Enterprise Foundation did not pass "the pub test".
Senator Sinodinos told reporters outside the commission he looked forward to going back to work as a member of the Abbott team.
He stood down as federal assistant treasurer in March while the ICAC investigated.
"My family have been in suspended animation for the last 18 months through this whole process," Senator Sinodinos said.
"Through that whole process, at no stage has any allegation of corruption ever been made against me."
He later said the ICAC probes had taken a heavy toll on his family and claimed there had been "personal attacks and jibes" made against his wife in the media.
"It is now time to focus again on policy and making a contribution to the work of the Abbott government," he said in a statement.
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