THE REAL KING: Steve Irwin fans petition to get him on new $5 currency note instead of Charles
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Supporters of the late Steve Irwin have filed a petition to the Australian Parliament for him to appear on new $5 Australian notes instead of the late Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles is expected to replace his late mother on the currency note but many Irwin fans are hoping for the Aussie hero to get the nod ahead of the UK’s monarch.
The initiative was started by petitioners Kirby Miles and Vincent Wu who have also registered the petition on the website of the Australian Parliament, reported Daily Mail. According to the petition, Steve represented Australian values and was beloved for his love for wildlife. “There is no one more vital to the Australian culture and identity than Steve Irwin. The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the proclamation of King Charles III raises an important question about the future of Australian currency. There is no one more vital to the Australian culture and identity than Steve Irwin. Steve is beloved by all and has become synonymous with the Australian values we hold so dearly, He epitomized the spirit of mateship; he deeply loved the Australian Wildlife, working hard towards conservation and education but perhaps most importantly he's just a good bloke," the petition read.
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"This should not be seen as a step away from the crown, but as a step towards honoring a beloved Aussie hero. There is so much more that could be said about Steve but it comes down to this: we ought to honor a true Aussie hero. We therefore ask the House to change the face of the $5 note to Steve Irwin," the petition concluded.
Australian naturist and TV celebrity Irwin, well known as ‘the Crocodile Hunter,’ died on September 4, 2006, at 44, after being wounded by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef.
Since only 66 people have signed the petition at the time of printing, the decision may not be well-liked. It follows a significant update from the Reserve Bank of Australia on what would happen to Australia's $5 bill which is famously printed with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In the wake of the Queen's death at age 96, Australian coins and the $5 banknote will be altered to bear the likeness of King Charles. The late environmentalist has previously been considered for inclusion in Australian currency. Another fan first proposed the notion of Steve Irwin being on the $100 bill six years ago in a petition that garnered more than 31,000 signatures.
Although reports from Sky News Australia state that King Charles would not "automatically" appear on the nation's smallest denomination note, according to Assistant Treasury Minister Andrew Leigh who spoke to the media last month while touring the Royal Australian Mint. The new king will appear on our new coins "as a matter of tradition," he said, but that is not the case for the $5 note which has previously featured images of other notables.