Peter FitzSimons’ campaign for Australia to become a republic is set to call to remove the Queen and the monarchy from $5 notes forever
- Australian Republic Movement wants Queen Elizabeth off the $5 note
- Group led by Peter FitzSimons suspended campaign after Queen’s death
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
The Peter FitzSimons’ led Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is set to call for Queen Elizabeth’s image to be removed from the country’s existing $5 note.
The ARM will also ask the government not to replace the Queen with King Charles III’s head on coins from next year, Daily Mail Australia understands.
The group has temporarily suspended its campaign for a republic until after the Queen’s burial next week in London.
But ARM reportedly considers removing royals from Australian currency an important factor in the group’s advocacy when it renews activities.
Peter FitzSimons (pictured) is the leader of the Australian Republic Movement, which advocates for an Australian head of state
In June, FitzSimons told Daily Mail Australia that ‘there is no doubt that (republican sentiment) will get a surge once Australia leans in close and looks at King Charles’.
A member of the ARM told The Australian it was ‘ridiculous’ for Australian to have already said it would use the King’s image on coins, starting in 2023.
ARM is thought likely to bide its time before proposing an Australian-born replacement to the royals on coins and the $5 note.
It will initially focus on sparking a public debate on the issue.
The Queen replaced humanitarian Caroline Chisholm on the $5 note in 1992 when Australia switched to polymer banknotes.
The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said he would not consider changes to the $5 note until after her funeral.
‘I think this is a time where a bit of respect is required,’ he said. ‘We will deal with these issues appropriately, in an orderly way, in a way that is respectful.’
On Tuesday, the Assistant Minister for Competition, Andrew Leigh, was asked in the government is open to putting an Indigenous Australian on the $5 note, such as Eddie Mabo, Vincent Lingiari or Evonne Goolagong?
‘That’ll be a conversation to be had down the track,’ he replied.
‘Our focus now is on the coins, which necessarily need to change over … There’s no rush about it.
‘So the priority now is changing over the coins, which is a much larger operation … 15 billion coins have been produced with Queen Elizabeth II on them,’ said Mr Leigh.
Australian coins released this month before the Queens’s death are set to become instant collectors’ items because they are dated 2023.
Mint chief executive Leigh Gordon said this batch with the Queen’s profile would be worth a lot.
‘We do not intend to mint any coins in 2023 with the Queen’s effigy on it, but we are in the period of transition,’ Mr Gordon said.
‘There are some coins that are out there now with a 2023 date and the Queen on it – they’re collectable and investment coins that have been released as we do normally in September each year for the following year.’
Australian coins released this month before the Queen’s death are set to become instant collectors’ items because they are dated 2023
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