The decision to remove it was confirmed in the Treasurer's budget speech of 21 August 1990. The removed was due to inflation reducing its value, and the high cost of bronze. Around the same time other countries removed their bronze coins—New Zealand removed its one and two cent coins in 1990, while the United Kingdom and Ireland replaced their bronze one and two pence coins with copper-plated steel coins. After removal from circulation, some of the coins were melted down to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.