Former prime minister John Howard has dismissed as "very unwise" a call for parliament to be suspended until the dual-citizenship row engulfing federal MPs is resolved.
"Governments are criticised for being distracted. That would be the ultimate distraction - to prorogue parliament," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
"We should continue with the business of government."
Australian Conservative senator Cory Bernardi, who made the suggestion, warned about a lack of confidence in politics.
The High Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, will hear the referred cases of politicians with dual-citizenship on August 24.
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The Australian Constitution stipulates MPs cannot be citizens of another country.
