Former Australian PM Howard: 'We weren't going to be lectured by some of those sanctimonious Scandinavian countries'

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has given an interview to POLITICO addressing immigration policy and the effects of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on Australia's political direction. The headline of the piece quotes Howard saying Australia was not going to be "lectured by some of those sanctimonious Scandinavian countries."

The remark suggests that during the conversation Howard defended Australia's approach to immigration and border policy, pushing back against foreign criticism he characterized as moralizing. Scandinavian nations have historically been seen as proponents of more liberal immigration policies, and Howard's comment points to a firm stance against being compared unfavorably to, or criticized by, those countries.

Beyond immigration, the interview also touched on the September 11 attacks in the United States and how those events, along with the subsequent so-called "war on terror," shaped Australia's political and security priorities during Howard's time in office.

POLITICO's interview frames Howard as one of the most influential Australian politicians of recent history, whose decisions on immigration and national security continue to be referenced in international debates over border control and counterterrorism policy.