Mr Howard brushed aside comments by Britain’s Lord Peter Goldsmith, who said the continued detention of nearly 500 terrorist suspects in the military prison "remains unacceptable" and the facility should be closed.
Lord Goldsmith is the highest British official to call for the closure of Guantanamo and his stance has further isolated Mr Howard's government and its continued support for the camp.
"We listen to what other governments say on these matters, we don't necessarily agree with them," Mr Howard to ABC radio.
"Our view in relation to Guantanamo Bay, and in relation to David Hicks, is that he should be brought to trial before the military commission without further delay," he said.
Mr Howard blamed Hicks' defence team and not US authorities for holding up the Australian's trial.
"What is delaying his trial at the moment is not the Australian government, it's not the American administration, it's a court challenge to the authority of the military commission," he said.
Mr Howard said the charges against Hicks, which include conspiracy to commit attacks on civilians, attempted murder and aiding the enemy, are serious and could not be pursued in Australia.
"Our view is that if Hicks comes back to Australia without having gone through any military commission trial in the United States, he can't be charged here and I don't regard that as a satisfactory outcome," he said.
Hicks, 30, was captured in Afghanistan in December 2001 for allegedly fighting alongside the former Taliban regime allied to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group.
His Australian lawyer, David McLeod, said Lord Goldsmith's comments were a boost for his client, who sought British citizenship.
"It's certainly my hope and the hope of David's supporters that the UK government as a whole will come together and realise that it should go into bat for its newest citizen as it has for the other nine," he told national radio.
"These comments coming from their most senior legal officer are very heartening."
Hicks was recently granted the right to obtain British citizenship on the grounds that his mother is British, but the decision has been challenged in court by the British government.
The Australian hopes that by obtaining British nationality, London will demand his release from Guantanamo as it has for its other subjects.
Britain's Court of Appeal has unanimously rejected government attempts to block Hicks' bid for citizenship, but authorities could still take their case to the House of Lords.
Earlier this week the Australian and US governments signed an agreement that would let Hicks serve out any prison term handed out by the US military back in Australia.
The Law Council of Australia has questioned the merits of that agreement.
Law Council President John North says the legitimacy of the military commissions hasn't been properly tested in Australia and the constitution only allows people to be held in prison following a fair trial from a properly constituted court or tribunal.