Howard defends traditional marriage legacy

Former prime minister John Howard has defended his legacy on traditional marriage, saying any changes should be decided on by the people, not the courts.

Mr Howard said his government in 2004 updated the Marriage Act to ensure marriage was between a man and a woman, and any changes to the "centuries-old" approach should never be left to the courts.

He also criticised the US Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage.

"Judges have no greater wisdom on these matters," Mr Howard told Sky News on Thursday.

"America I admire a great deal, but it's a bad state of affairs where these sorts of things can be determined by a court."

Mr Howard criticised pro-gay marriage Liberal MPs for using "superficial" language in their campaign for change, saying conservatives also deserved to be heard.

"Polls change," he said.