Australia has announced that its new $5 bill will not include an image of King Charles III, signalling the end of the British monarchy on its currency notes.
On Wednesday, Australia’s Reserve Bank announced that a new design honouring Indigenous culture will replace the previous portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The decision is intended to honour “the culture and history of the First Australians,” according to the bank.
“The Australian parliament will continue to appear on the other side of the $5 banknote,” the bank said in a statement.
While the $5 bill is currently Australia’s only banknote to feature a member of the British monarchy, King Charles is still expected to appear on coins.
He said that the decision followed consultations with the government, which supported the change and said it provided a “opportunity to strike a good balance”.
The current $5 will be issued until the new design is introduced and will remain legal tender until then.
The move was called a “attack on society” and “woke nonsense” by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
“I know the silent majority don’t agree with a lot of the woke nonsense that goes on, but we need to hear more from those people online,” he told 2GB Radio.
He went on to say that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should “own up to it” because he was central to the decision not to include the King on the note.