Australia Plans $5 Note Redesign to Feature Indigenous Theme, Excludes Royal Portraits

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has announced a significant redesign of the $5 note, which will no longer feature Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III. Instead, the new design will honor the connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to 'Country', emphasizing their emotional, spiritual, and physical ties to the land. This decision follows a campaign that garnered over 2,100 public submissions, with the RBA aiming to create a representation that is inclusive and avoids tokenism. The new note will still display Australia's Parliament on its reverse side but will break from tradition by not featuring a portrait of a monarch for the first time since 1992. While the move has been praised for recognizing Indigenous culture, it has also faced backlash from those feeling it disrespects the monarchy. The new banknote's design and printing are expected to take several years, with the current version remaining in circulation in the meantime.