Silence. That’s what you hear when corporate executives from the big end of town are asked publicly about the prospect of a Labor win on May 18. In private, the sounds range from low grumbles to high-pitched hysteria.

Their comments reflect both their personal and their wider concerns about the economy.

Many in big business see Bill Shorten as being captive to unions. Credit:AFR

“The richer you are, the more worried you are," one very high-net-worth individual quipped. Another - this one a billionaire - suggested a Labor win would be "a disaster". Both have their hands on the tiller of very large companies employing tens of thousands of people.

In general, big business concerns reflect their belief that the economy is increasingly fragile and that Labor’s policies might tip the scales.