Media Release Release of New Federation $5 Note

The Reserve Bank of Australia will issue a new $5 note from 1 January 2001 as its contribution to the Centenary of Federation celebrations.

The new note features two prominent Australians who made unique contributions towards the birth and development of our nation. On the front is Sir Henry Parkes, commonly known as the ‘Father of Federation’. On the reverse is Catherine Helen Spence, journalist, social reformer and novelist, and the first woman to stand for election to public office in Australia.

The new $5 note is similar in colour and is the same size as the current $5 note (65mm high and 130mm long). Like all of our other notes, the new $5 note has a number of special anti-counterfeiting features that make our currency notes the safest in the world.

The Federation $5 note will be issued throughout 2001 and will circulate alongside the current $5 note.

The note was designed by Garry Emery, one of Australia's leading graphic designers, who also designed the current $20 note.

Attached to this media release are:

1. a summary of the security and design features of the new Federation $5 note; and,
2. biographies of Sir Henry Parkes and Catherine Helen Spence.