Former prime minister John Howard has shared his take on a high court decision to release asylum seekers from indefinite detention.

He says he’s taken issue with the decision by the high court to not immediately reveal why they made the decision to release the 138 individuals.

“I think it’s quite unacceptable … for the court to announce a decision and say ‘Well, we’ll tell you later why we reached this decision,'” he told Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY to hear his take on the decision

He also looked back at the Port Arthur massacre and it’s impact on gun laws.

He says he wouldn’t have been able to get the changes across if it wasn’t for the support of both the Nationals and Labor.

“It infuriated a lot of people who only a few weeks earlier had voted for us in droves from regional areas,” he said.

Press PLAY to hear Neil’s 1996 editorial on the massacre 

Image: Getty Images/Matt Jelonek.