Australia unveils new A$5 note in currency overhaul

[SYDNEY] The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday unveiled the design of a new A$5 bill as part of a currency overhaul to improve banknote security.

The banknote will feature new security measures, including a new distinctive top-to-bottom window, the RBA said.

"Innovative new security features have been incorporated to help keep Australia's banknotes secure from counterfeiting into the future," said RBA Governor Glenn Stevens.

The new banknote will go into circulation from September 1.

In addition to its security features, Australia's new A$5 note will include a tactile element to help vision-impaired people distinguish between the different denominations of banknotes.

The new A$5 note will have the same dimensions and pale purple colouring, featuring an image of Queen Elizabeth updated from the previous design unveiled in 1995.

While keeping many original features, Australia's new banknotes will each carry a different species of Australian wattle tree and a native bird, the RBA said.

On the A$5 banknote, these are the Prickly Moses wattle and a native Australian bird, the Eastern Spinebill.

New Zealand on Monday unveiled the designs of its NZ$20, NZ$50 and NZ$100 notes, which include increased security measures such as a holographic window, a colour-changing bird, puzzle number and raised ink.

REUTERS