In certain Commonwealth countries, the currency has the monarch’s face on it, much like in the UK, which now features King Charles’ face following the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022. Before Charles ascended the throne, currency in the UK, Australia, and Canada featured the late Queen’s face.
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In 2025, the Australian $5 note will be changed. This means that the people honoured on the note will change. However, the choice made by the Australian government has not been well received. Indeed, it will not feature any member of the Royal Family.
King Charles will not be on the new $5 note
As per The Guardian, the Australian $5 note has featured the late Queen Elizabeth since 1992. It has been announced that the new $5 note will not feature the late Queen nor the current monarch, King Charles—who visited the country in 2024.
Instead, the redesign will ‘reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s connection to country and the overturning of terra nullius’.
It has yet to be decided who will be on the new $5 note, but the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has opened submissions for artwork to honour the ‘enduring emotional, spiritual and physical connection' of First Nations people to the land, seas, and waters’.
Once the new $5 note is in circulation, there will no longer be any Australian notes with a portrait of a British monarch.
The RBA explained their choice of removing Queen Elizabeth from the $5 note as a way of recognising ‘First Nations communities' contribution to the restoration and conservation of our environment'.
Some Australians are not pleased with the new change
It was first announced in 2023 that King Charles would not feature on the new $5 note, which Australia's opposition leader, Peter Dutton, deemed ‘another attack on our systems, on our society, and our institutions’ at the time.
Moreover, the public has reacted to the news that Queen Elizabeth will no longer be on the $5 note. Many have shared their displeasure, some claiming it is ‘disgraceful’ and ‘disrespectful’ to remove the late Queen.
As reported by Daily Mail, here are some of the comments made regarding the new $5 note:
There are many other deceased people on our notes, why remove Queen Elizabeth and not the others? It seems unfair considering we are a part of the monarchy and she was our longest reigning monarch. It is disrespectful.
Another wrote:
Disgraceful that they can make that decision. I hate this government and the dreadful waste of our money to "woke" everything they can.
A third claimed it is a ‘waste of money’ to manufacture a new note:
Why waste more money on changing yet another note? Why would you remove the Queen? Not a great look and very disrespectful. Our government needs fixing.
A fourth added that the late Queen ‘dedicated her life to her service’ and shouldn’t be ‘erased’:
Keep the Queen on our $5 notes. She dedicated her life to her service. She commanded the Commonwealth for such a long time. How horrible to just erase her off the notes. So wrong.
Read more:
UK Government has changed their logo to mark King Charles' reign
King Charles reportedly bought £3M property as a grand gesture for Queen Camilla
Will King Charles visit the US in 2026? What to know about the speculation
Sources used:
The Guardian: ‘Australia’s new $5 note to reflect First Nations connection to country instead of King Charles’
The Guardian: ‘Australia’s new $5 banknote will feature Indigenous history instead of King Charles’
Daily Mail: ‘Outrage over huge change to $5 note in Australia: 'Disgraceful'
