King Charles III will not be shown on Australia’s new $5 banknotes as Britain’s former colonies reevaluated their ties to the monarchy in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II‘s passing. This confirmation came from the central bank of Australia on Thursday, according to a report in the BBC.
“‘The culture and history’ of Indigenous Australians will be honoured by the new design,” the Reserve Bank of Australia claims. On one side of the $5 bill, at the moment, a picture of Queen Elizabeth can be seen.
According to a statement from the central bank, “The Reserve Bank has decided to update the $5 banknote to feature a new design that honours the culture and history of the First Australians. This new design will replace the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The other side of the $5 banknote will continue to feature the Australian Parliament.”
They noted that members of the Australian Parliament who favour the move were consulted before making the decision. It was also mentioned that it would take years to print the currency.
“The Bank will consult with First Australians in designing the $5 banknote. The new banknote will take a number of years to be designed and printed. In the meantime, the current $5 banknote will continue to be issued. It will be able to be used even after the new banknote is issued,” it declared.
The Indigenous population of Australia sometimes referred to as First Nations people are made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They have been residing on the continent for more than 65,000 years and are descended from the oldest continuously existing society in the world.
The $5 note is the only piece of Australian money with a portrait of a British monarch, according to the BBC. Even though Australia has switched to using an image of King Charles III, the Queen continues to appear on the country’s coins.
The British monarch is also the ruler of Australia, New Zealand, and 12 other Commonwealth countries that are not part of the UK. Every series of Australian banknotes, according to the publication, has at least one design featuring a portrait of the British monarch.
The Queen’s portrait might be replaced with Australian figures, according to a September announcement from Australia, which stated that the next monarch’s image will not necessarily take the place of the Queen on its $5 notes.
According to the RBA, a date has not yet been established for the unveiling of the new five-dollar note design. Politicians and community representatives from the Aboriginal community applauded the decision.
Lidia Thorpe, a senator for the Green Party and a member of the DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara community, described the victory as “a massive win for the grassroots, First Nations people who have been fighting to decolonise this country.”
According to modern estimations, First Nations people inhabited Australia for at least 65,000 years prior to British colonisation.
