Australia could replace Queen Elizabeth’s image on banknotes

The Queen’s death has reignited debates about Australia’s future as constitutional monarchy. Voters narrowly chose to maintain the British monarch as its head of state in a 1999 referendum. The Australian government has said that the image of King Charles III would not automatically replace Queen Elizabeth II’s on A$5 notes, and it may be replaced by Australian figures. The Royal Australian Mint, the sole producer of coins in the country, has said that it will issue no circulating coins bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth in 2023. Roughly 15 billion coins have been minted in the likeness of Queen Elizabeth II since her coronation in 1953.