John Howard has recycled one of his most famous lines in arguing Brexit was the right decision.

The former prime minister believes it wasn't racism or xenophobia which fuelled the rejection of the European Union, but Britons had felt for years they couldn't control borders.

"It is not a rejection of immigration but a reaffirmation of the nation's determination to decide, as I declared, `we'll decide who comes, the numbers and the skills that come with them'," he told Sky News today.

Mr Howard says he would have voted to leave the EU if he was British.

He said the decision was a dramatic reminder for leaders of democratic nations to listen to the people.

"It was not racist for people, not xenophobic of people for saying, `we want to keep an eye on the flow of immigration,' and that's all I ever argued in relation to Australia."

Former Prime Minister John Howard and wife Janette arrive at the Coalition Campaign Launch in Sydney. (AAP)

In his 2001 election campaign policy launch, Mr Howard famously declared: "We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come".

Mr Howard also said the result was a recognition of fundamental problems within the EU.

'Having a monetary union without a fiscal union is doomed to failure," he said.

With AAP.