this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2025
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Australia’s $5 note, which has borne the face of Queen Elizabeth II since 1992, will be redesigned to reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s connection to country and the overturning of terra nullius – a foundational moment in the fight for land rights.

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[–] HollowNaught 1 points 1 day ago

New note: a small change that doesn't really do much, but it's a nice nod anyway

Dutton: and I took that personally

[–] [email protected] 19 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Peter Dutton, describing it as “another attack on our systems, on our society and on our institutions”.

It could perfectly be VOX's Santiago Abascal talking about the king of Spain. They really come out of cookie cutters.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 days ago

I'm happy to do the opposite of anything Dutton wants to do

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago
[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Can we just abolish the monarchy already.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 days ago (3 children)

After watching events as they play out this year in the USA, I doubt there would be a lot of support in the electorate to remove checks on power in Australian governments.

I personally would not want to.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Our system, however flawed, is the result of a millenia of learning what works for most people.

America's system is only a few hundred years old and has already collapsed.

I'll stick with the Westminster system under a monarchical head of state if it means we don't slip in fascism

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm not so sure that we're not sliding into fascism?

Dutton seems to be modelling his campaign on Trump's.

He's hardly going to usher in a new era of tolerance and inclusion.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

Unfortunately a lot of western countries are sliding far right. This happens after mass events such as covid. Fascism never goes away. It just gets beaten into submission until we let our guard down and it finds a way to rear its ugly head again.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

U mean the check on power that was used by the CIA to coup us cos we wanted to investigate what the us was doing in pine gap on OUR soil?

All I want is to abolish the governor general keep everything else exactly the same.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

Yes, that check on power. John Kerr acted because he knew that Whitlam was going to sack him and he dismissed the PM in a preemptive strike. He did not involve the Queen in his decision and he completely overstepped his (implied) authority. I don't deny the one time the Governor General used their power to dissolve a government was an utter shitshow, but corrections were made in the wake of that act and I am confident there won't be a repeat on just the whim of a future Governor General.

I was too young at the time to understand anything about the Pine Gap angle, but while I can see Whitlam losing power was good for US interests, I don't believe they were directly involved in events as they played out. Kerr denied CIA involvement (of course he would) and Whitlam agreed that Kerr had more than enough incentive to act without the CIA being party to proceedings.

All I want is to abolish the governor general keep everything else exactly the same.

And I want to keep the government answerable to someone who can veto bills and force a new election in an emergency like we are seeing in the USA. Even if those powers were never used again.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

The monarchy is a rubber stamp at best, and a foreign actor at worst (Whitlam Dismissal).

Though I agree, this year may not be the best time. Over the next decade where we cross our t-s and dot our i-s, still a totally good as time as any to become a republic.

Republic doesn't mean the USA. Thankfully.

We don't need an executive with way too much power

[–] HorseFD 3 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Unfortunately Labor is scared of referendums now because the Voice failed.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Australians rarely vote "yes" in a referendum. Our rate is 8 positive results in 45 (source).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

@Nath the twist is that the ‘no’ side only needs to convince half of Tasmania, SA and WA in order to close it down.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Odd examples. WA is 23/45 - it's the state most likely to vote Yes, I think.

Results have come down to 3:3 among the states a few times, but I think WA was Yes each time.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago

Yeah. They really didn't read the room on that, amongst other things.

[–] Wooki 0 points 6 days ago

Not a fucking chance.

After watching the bullshit in the US go down my god having the crown capable of removing a tyrant is now more critical than Menzies.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (2 children)

No more cocksucking whale huh.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

RIP 😢🍆🐋

[–] TastyWheat 2 points 6 days ago

The year is 2086. Not much is left. A junkie rambles to himself in a pile of garbage, asking nobody in particular for a smoke.

He forgets himself for a moment and pulls out a tattered, somehow-stained-brown $5 note. He folds it in half, and giggles to himself.

The final cocksucking whale ever performed.

Look, what I'm trying to say is the cocksucking whale will live on in our hearts. And wallets. (This news hit me hard ok?)

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

As long as the new design still lets you put a 78° fold in it to make it look like a whale giving a blowjob I'm all for it

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Oh sick.

I hope they let the public vote on the submissions, but I doubt it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago

I dunno if I really trust the public to make good decisions anymore though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Is putting the images of conquered people on the currency of the society we replaced them with really a sign of respect?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

Hey we're sorry about the referendum, here's a picture on a fiver instead.

[–] Wooki 0 points 6 days ago (1 children)

your so right we should only have the conquerers on it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

That's not what I said ya stupid flog. I reckon native plants and animals would be best.

[–] pHr34kY 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

$5 should be a coin by now. It's worth less than $2 when we coined it in the 80s.

[–] atoll 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

What is the benefit of having it be a coin?

[–] pHr34kY 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Coins last longer and are easier to work with and count. Things like vending machines are far easier to make deal with coins.

Whatever they do, a shitton of vending machines will need reprogramming.