Australia's AU$5 Note Redesign: Honoring First Nations' Connection To The Land

Australia's AU$5 note, which has displayed the image of Queen Elizabeth II since 1992, is set to be redesigned to acknowledge the enduring connection that First Nations peoples have to the land.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed that the redesign will focus on replacing the queen's portrait with an image that reflects Australia's history and growth, especially the strong bond First Nations peoples have with the land.

"As times change, so do our banknotes. The $5 note is being redesigned and we want to use this as an opportunity to represent what makes this country so special: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and history," RBA stated.

The theme was chosen from 2,100 nominated ideas in an Australia-wide campaign to select a theme for the new note -- Connection to Country.

"This inspiring theme will guide the creation of an artwork that will feature on the redesigned banknote," RBA Assistant Governor Michelle McPhee said on Monday.

The RBA is now calling for submissions of artwork that represent this deep connection, The Nightly reported.

The bank's Imagery Selection Panel, including RBA staff, Note Printing Australia, and First Nations community members, will choose the winning design.

For the first time, the note will not feature a portrait of a person, while the reverse side will continue to feature the Parliament House.

Honoring First Nations People

The new design will showcase artwork that honors the spiritual, emotional, and physical connection First Nations peoples have with the land, waters, and seas, a bond that has lasted for thousands of years.

The RBA emphasized that the new design should reflect the importance of the 1992 Mabo decision, which overturned the "terra nullius" doctrine -- once used to justify treating Australia as a settled colony in 1788 -- and recognized the land rights of First Nations peoples, reported The Guardian.

The bank has requested that submissions avoid stereotypical or tokenistic imagery.

The image of Queen Elizabeth II was added to the AU$5 note in 1992, with the most recent redesign in 2016. Following the queen's passing in 2022, King Charles III's image now appears on all Australian coins.

Australia's AU$5 note, which has displayed the image of Queen Elizabeth II since 1992, is set to be redesigned to acknowledge the enduring connection that First Nations peoples have to the land.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed that the redesign will focus on replacing the queen's portrait with an image that reflects Australia's history and growth, especially the strong bond First Nations peoples have with the land.

"As times change, so do our banknotes. The $5 note is being redesigned and we want to use this as an opportunity to represent what makes this country so special: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and history," RBA stated.

The theme was chosen from 2,100 nominated ideas in an Australia-wide campaign to select a theme for the new note -- Connection to Country.

"This inspiring theme will guide the creation of an artwork that will feature on the redesigned banknote," RBA Assistant Governor Michelle McPhee said on Monday.

The RBA is now calling for submissions of artwork that represent this deep connection, The Nightly reported.

The bank's Imagery Selection Panel, including RBA staff, Note Printing Australia, and First Nations community members, will choose the winning design.

For the first time, the note will not feature a portrait of a person, while the reverse side will continue to feature the Parliament House.

Honoring First Nations People

The new design will showcase artwork that honors the spiritual, emotional, and physical connection First Nations peoples have with the land, waters, and seas, a bond that has lasted for thousands of years.

The RBA emphasized that the new design should reflect the importance of the 1992 Mabo decision, which overturned the "terra nullius" doctrine -- once used to justify treating Australia as a settled colony in 1788 -- and recognized the land rights of First Nations peoples, reported The Guardian.

The bank has requested that submissions avoid stereotypical or tokenistic imagery.

The image of Queen Elizabeth II was added to the AU$5 note in 1992, with the most recent redesign in 2016. Following the Queen's passing in 2022, King Charles III's image now appears on all Australian coins.