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Australia releases possibly the ugliest banknote in history

Australia's Reserve Bank has unveiled the design of their new $5 banknote to widespread horr...
Newstalk
Newstalk

11.05 12 Apr 2016


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Australia releases possibly th...

Australia releases possibly the ugliest banknote in history

Newstalk
Newstalk

11.05 12 Apr 2016


Share this article


Australia's Reserve Bank has unveiled the design of their new $5 banknote to widespread horror.

The public Down Under has reacted to the colourful new design, with comments online including "it looks like vomit", “hideous” and, our particular favourite - “like a mid-80s primary school mural”.

The new note, which will come into circulation from September, means Australians will keep the same basic colour, size, and subject matter as their old fiver, replete with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

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Except the design is slightly more, er, flamboyant.

The identity of the slightly odd yellow shapes, resembling the undersides of six centipedes, was cleared up by Glenn Stevens, the Governor of the Royal Bank of Australia.

"On the $5 banknote, these are the prickly Moses wattle and Eastern Spinebill," he said in a statement.

When the series is complete, each New Australian banknote will depict a different species of Australian wattle and a native bird, he added.

The RBA said the design took in research involving focus groups, and an “extensive consultation".

The image of Queen Elizabeth II also came under fire, with many wondering was the face digitally altered from the previous note.

New Zealand was also treated to a preview of its new banknotes in the last few days. Their new cash will also be more brightly coloured and feature native wildlife, but it's fair to say the design has gone down slightly better.


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