Billionaire retailer Solomon Lew and his chief executive Richard Murray have publicly thrown their support behind the Morrison government being re-elected, claiming the federal government “saved Australia” and signalling that their business is on track for its best Christmas.

Speaking to a handful of media after an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce lunch in Melbourne, where Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced changes to digital wallets and the buy now, pay later sector, the chairman of Premier Investments threw his full support behind the federal Coalition, despite most businesses historically staying publicly neutral on matters of politics.