Speech at the re-opening of the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra

Growing up in Canberra, the Royal Australian Mint was part of the landscape of my childhood. 

Today, from the outside, it is very much the same impressive and striking building. 

But what a wonderful transformation to the interior. 

A visit to the Mint in 2024 is an opportunity to see how history, technology, art and culture intersect to bring every Australian coin to life. 

From the trading cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the place of coins in a digital age, these spaces are an evocative retelling of Australia’s currency story.

And they align the Mint with Canberra’s increasingly important role in the education of young Australians. 

To travel south from Canberra’s city centre means passing some of Australia’s most significant public buildings and cultural institutions. 

The Australian War Memorial and Parliament House, the National Museum of Australia and the Museum of Australian Democracy, the Mint and Government House – to name just a few -- are part of our past and our future. 

Living at Government House, I take great pleasure in meeting as many of the visiting school groups as I can. 

It’s wonderful to listen to their stories about their lives in their home towns and cities, and answer their questions about life here in Canberra. 

And we always finish by taking some selfies together. 

But the main purpose of their visit is to learn. 

I hope that students leave Yarralumla knowing something about the important constitutional and ceremonial role of the Governor-General, and our system of Honours and Awards. 

Civics education gives students the insight and understanding to contribute to our great democracy. 

While some might be inspired to lead, all young Australians need the tools to care for our institutions as citizens and participate in our democracy as voters. 

In the same way, knowledge of our history and heritage 

… of the landscapes of our stunningly beautiful continent 

… of 65,000 years of Indigenous culture, shared so generously by the oldest continuing culture in the world …  

… of our British institutions of law and democracy …  

… and of the vibrant, successful, multicultural society we celebrate as modern Australia … 

… equips all Australians to celebrate, be thankful for and work to strengthen what is mighty about his country. 

And, here, the Mint’s refurbished public spaces will teach these important lessons in the most modern and exciting way. 

I am so looking forward to exploring and refreshing my own knowledge.  

A lovely connection between the Royal Australian Mint and the Order of Australia lies in the work of the great Australian-born artist Stuart Devlin. 

As you know, Devlin was responsible for the depiction of native animals on Australia’s original suite of decimal currency in 1966. 

Later, in the 1970s, he based his design for the founding medals in our Honours system on the brilliant wattle blossom of spring.

The delightful feather-tailed glider, frill-neck lizard, echidna, lyrebird and platypus on the reverse of Australia’s first coins rest so beautifully alongside the wattle of the Order of Australia insignia. 

To me, the connection between them speaks to the unity of our nation, and the coherence of our national story.  

I am so pleased that, today, the Mint can tell its own chapter in Australia’s story in such magnificent and utterly contemporary spaces. 

And it gives me the greatest pleasure to declare the Royal Australian Mint open once again.