Australia will replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on its A$5 banknote with a new design to reflect and honour the history of its indigenous culture, the country's central bank said this week.
The decision follows consultation with the federal government, which supports the change, the Reserve Bank of Australia said. The other side of the note will continue to feature the Australian parliament, it said.
Queen Elizabeth's death last year reignited debate in Australia about its future as a constitutional monarchy. Voters narrowly chose to maintain the British monarch as its head of state in a 1999 referendum.
Australian authorities said following the queen's death that the image of King Charles III would not automatically replace her on A$5 notes, and that she might be replaced by Australian figures.
The decision to include her image on the A$5 dollar note was about her personality as opposed to her status as the monarch, they said at the time.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a long-standing republican, but said after the death of the queen in September it was “not a time” for a debate on the role of the monarchy in Australia.
The Reserve Bank said it would consult with indigenous groups in designing the A$5 banknote. It will take a number of years to design and print it. Until then, the current note will continue to be issued.
The A$5 banknote is the only Australian banknote to carry the image of the queen. Australian coins are mandated to carry the image of the British monarch and new coins will have the effigy of King Charles.
King Charles is the head of state in Australia, New Zealand and 12 other Commonwealth realms outside the UK, though the role is largely ceremonial.
Reuters
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