On the surface at least, it feels like the Albanese government and big business have spent most of the year singing from the same hymn book. As the election loomed, and as the Coalition threatened to forcibly break up supermarket giants and Bunnings if they got caught price gouging, Treasurer Jim Chalmers went out of his way to praise the corporate sector’s contribution to the economy.

“We know that the best kind of strong and sustainable economic growth means growth led by the private sector,” he told a Business Council of Australia dinner in February attended by corporate leaders including Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott, National Australia Bank chairman Philip Chronican, Google Australia managing director Mel Silva and Sydney Airport boss Scott Charlton.