Australia should implement an overarching “Reserve Bank-style” body to regulate health funding, an academic has said.

University of Notre Dame School of Medicine Professor Christine Bennett told Monday night’s Q&A program – centred on the “fair go” – that the community needed a trusted and experienced panel of experts to rely on for delivering adequate health funding.

“I’m wondering whether if we had an independent group of experts who are there continuously,” Prof Bennett said, “[they] can be frank monitors of what’s going on in health and, perhaps, contribute to policy … [and by] putting out a health inflation kind of context.

“That might actually keep our politicians on their toes.”

Host Tony Jones then asked if Prof Bennet was referring to a national body like the Reserve Bank, to which she responded: “Like the Reserve Bank.”

The positive attitude to changes in healthcare spending continued throughout the program, as World Medical Association president Sir Michael Marmot had his say.

“All a politician has to do is stand up and say, ‘We have to get welfare spending down’. Everybody [then] says, ‘Hooray’,” Sir Michael argued.

“[But] it turns out, shocking news, spending on welfare is good for health – welfare is good for health and narrows health inequality.

“The greater the level of poverty or deprivation, the worse the early child development.”

.@nyunggai we haven't focused on our ageing population and issues of poverty. Bennett has an idea like RBA #QandA https://t.co/Sc7kfp26p0

— QandA (@QandA) August 29, 2016

Welfare recipients suffering ‘slave labour’ mentality

Sir Michael went on to take aim at those who want welfare recipients to work feverishly for their welfare payments.

He said most people would rather work, and instead of making them work for their welfare, agencies should help them find meaningful employment.

“[We should] not simply [be] saying, ‘Right, you have to do some version of slave labour in order to earn your welfare payment’,” he said.

“It means creating opportunities and creating a skilled labour force. Not simply saying, ‘we’re not going to give you your welfare payment unless’, that’s almost like prison.”

Australian Council of Social Service head Cassandra Goldie ended the episode with a point on welfare that was made numerous times throughout the evening.

Ms Goldie said it was particularly poignant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“We should ensure people have enough to security for rent, housing, and then universal childcare,” she said.

“I urge the politicians tomorrow to listen to the voices, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about what is working out there and the government should get behind it.”