Australia’s Sydney shock with this King Charles coronation snub ‘to save money’ | World news
Australia’s Sydney Opera House will not light up its floats to mark the passing of King Charles – who is widely regarded as the country’s head of state. The decision is a cost-saving measure, a spokesman for the New South Wales state government said according to Reuters news agency.
The role of the monarchy has been controversial in Australia since the country held a referendum in 1999 on becoming an independent country. After all, 55% of voters are against it, although recent polls show the level of support has decreased for the monarchy.
Many public buildings and monuments, including Parliament House in Canberra, will be lit up in royal purple to mark the occasion. The Sydney Opera House was lit in September to honor Queen Elizabeth II after her death.
“The New South Wales Government believes it has struck the right balance in terms of meeting community expectations on the festival while being mindful of public spending,” a government spokesman said.
This comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in London for the ceremony.
“I want to see an Australian as Australia’s head of state… If you don’t mean that you can’t have respect for the institutions, which are the programs of the government we have”, he said.
In addition to Australia, King Charles is the head of state in New Zealand and 12 other Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom.
