Australia: King Charles III will not be depicted on the country's new banknotes

King Charles III will not be depicted on the new Australian five dollar notes.

Old denominations displayed Queen Elizabeth II (illustrative image).

AFP - MLADEN ANTONOV

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2 mins

In Australia, the central bank (Reserve Bank of Australia) has announced that King Charles III will not be depicted on future five-dollar bills, which currently feature the face of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

This decision means that the British monarchy, at the head of the Australian state, will no longer be represented on any banknote.

A decision hailed by the republican movement, which regained color after the death of Elizabeth II.

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Rather than displaying the face of their new king, Australians have just decided that their future five-dollar note, the only one on which the face of Elizabeth II was still printed, will honor history and culture in the future. of the first Australians, in other words the Aborigines, writes our correspondent in Australia,

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on parts

The signs of attachment of the Australians to the British monarchy will however not all be erased from the national currency, since the face of Charles III will be engraved, like that of his mother before, on all the coins.

These first new coins should also be put into circulation in the course of 2023.

The decision concerning the five dollar note, the most used in the country, was in any case welcomed by the supporters of an Australian republic, but also by the representatives of the aboriginal communities.

However, it will take a few more years to see this new banknote, warned the Australian Central Bank, which plans to consult with Aboriginal communities before developing its

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Since 1923

 British sovereigns have appeared on Australian banknotes since 1923 and until 1953, the year of the coronation of Elizabeth II, they were present on all denominations.

The face of the queen adorned the one pound note, then the new one dollar note from 1966, reports AFP.

This first dollar note also featured images of Aboriginal rock paintings and carvings and designs inspired by a bark painting by indigenous artist David Malangi Daymirringu.

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