9^th February 2023 – The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that its $ 5 bank notes will not feature Queen Elizabelth II or King Charles. The new design of the $ 5 bank note will honor the culture and history of the First Australians (equivalent to First Nations of Canada).

The central bank reported that it has taken this decision in complete consultation with the Australian government which agrees fully to this change. Both the Labor Party and Liberal Party of Australia have welcomed this step.

The bank is yet to release the new design and discussions are underway with the First Australian community about it. The old currency notes will still be tendered legal though and the new currency notes will be in print once the other formalities are completed.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there are increasing voices of doing away with the monarchy and mainstreaming the indigenous communities. As per Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia is the home to the oldest continuing living culture in the entire world. First Australians are about 3% of the total Australian population who had faces extreme hardships, ranging from loss of traditional culture and homelands to the forced removal of children and denial of citizenship rights.

PC – Australian Human Rights Commission