CANBERRA, Australia (AP) – Australia has removed the British monarchy from its bank notes.
The country’s central bank said Thursday that the new $5 bill will feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. But the king is expected to show the coins.
The $5 bill is the only remaining bank note in Australia that still features an image of the monarch.
The bank said the decision follows consultation with the government, which supports the change. Opponents say the move is political.
The British monarch remains Australia’s head of state, although these times are more symbolic. Like many British colonies in the pastAustralia debates how much it should retain constitutional ties with Britain.
The Reserve Bank of Australia says the new $5 bill will feature a design to replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, who died last year. The bank said the move would honor “the culture and history of First Australians.”
“The other side of the $5 banknote will continue to be displayed in the Australian parliament,” the bank said in a statement.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the change was an opportunity to strike a good balance.
“The monarch is still on the coins, but the $5 note will say more about our history and our heritage and our country, and I see that as a good thing,” he told reporters in Melbourne.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton likened the move to changing the date of the national day, Australia Day.
“I know the silent majority will not agree with a lot of nonsense going on but we need to hear more from people online,” he told 2GB Radio.
Dutton said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was central to the decision for the king not to display the note, urging him to “own it.”
The bank plans to consult with Indigenous groups on the design of the $5 note, a process it expects to take several years before the new note becomes public.
The current $5 will continue to be issued until the new design is introduced and will remain legal even after the new bill is in circulation.
The face of King Charles III is expected to appear on Australian coins later this year.
One Australian dollar is worth about 71 cents in US currency.
