Australia has declared a mourning period following the death of its head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. 

Parliament has been suspended for a fortnight, and will not sit as scheduled this week. 

The Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (DPM&C) has published an online condolence book that allows people to express their thoughts on the death of the British monarch, and a photo gallery depicting the Queen’s life, as well as a frequently asked questions page.

The governor-general’s website is also giving visitors the option to leave a message.

The governor-general, the monarch’s representative in Australia, has issued a statement expressing his condolences.

“As our Queen, she served our nation with enormous distinction for more than seventy years,” David Hurley said in a statement. 

“When I reflect on my own memories - she was my Queen for my whole life - I think of Her Majesty’s dignity and her compassion.”

“God Save the King”.

DPM&C has issued a statement to all flag marshals, requiring all flags to fly at half-mast until the day after the Queen’s funeral, which will take place 10 days after her death at Westminster Abbey. 

Australia’s public broadcaster, the ABC, temporarily suspended its normal programming both on TV and radio to broadcast special segments focusing on the Queen’s life. 

The Queen’s death will impact all legislation and procedures that reference the Queen or Her Majesty, which now need to be changed to the King and His Majesty respectively. 

Other images and references to the Queen of Australia’s legislation, such as on money and passports, will be changed too. 

New $2, $1, 50¢, 20¢, 10¢ and 5¢ coins with a portrait of the King are expected to start entering circulation from 2023, with the design to come from The Royal Mint in Great Britain.

Coins featuring the Queen will remain legal tender, so there will be a mix of coins with either monarch in circulation for some time. 

There are more than 200 million individual $5 notes in circulation.

New $5 notes with an official portrait of King Charles III on them could be some years away.

A spokesperson for the arm of the Reserve Bank that creates the notes says it is a complex process, and will take several years before going into circulation.

While the effigy of the Queen has always faced to the right on coins, the Royal Australian Mint expects the portrait of King Charles will face to the left.

There is a royal convention for a new monarch’s portrait to face the opposite direction to their predecessor; a tradition that is believed to have started with Charles II between 1660 and 1685.

In Victoria, parliament has been adjourned for a week and will not return until each Victorian MP has sworn allegiance to the new King.

The Victorian Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor will also be re-sworn in under King Charles.

The Australian Bar Association (ABA) has confirmed that persons appointed as Queen's counsel (QCs) will automatically become KCs, following the accession to the throne of King Charles III.