King Charles Won't Appear on Australian $5 Bill

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Facts

• According to an announcement from Australia's central bank on Thursday, King Charles III will not appear on the country's new five-dollar note.
• An indigenous design will be featured instead of the British monarch, who remains Australia's head of state. A statement from the bank declared that the change would honor 'the culture and history of the First Australians,' but clarified that the other side of the five-dollar banknote 'will continue to feature the Australian parliament.'
• The decision — made following consultation with the Australian federal government, which reportedly supports the new design — comes amid a revival of the debate concerning Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy following Queen Elizabeth II's death.
• Peter Dutton, leader of the political opposition in Australia, critiqued the government's announcement as 'another attack on our systems, on our society and our institutions.'
• However, Australia's republican movement — which supports cutting ties with the British monarchy altogether — celebrated the news, highlighting that Indigenous peoples predated colonial settlement by around 65K years.
• Per a recent poll, 43% of Australian residents desired the five-dollar bill to feature an Australian. 34% preferred King Charles to remain.

Sources: Bbc news, NPR Online News, Reuters, The telegraph, Life and Guardian.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by American spectator. The new King belongs on the five-dollar banknote. The Labor government does not have the mandate to implement a 'republic by stealth' and — until the Australian people make the democratic decision otherwise — Australia is still a constitutional monarchy. Charles III possesses the same level of affection for the nation as his late mother — Australia should honor that.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by CNN. King Charles III will still be featured on Australian currency, just not banknotes. It is high time that First Australians — who make up 3.2% of the population — were consulted and recognized through the currency of Australia, rather than the lineage of colonizers.