50 Years of Australian Honours: Exhibit at Royal Mint
I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather today – the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.
We have a number of distinguished guests present today – Your Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor‑General of Australia, Ms Emily Martin, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint, Dr Suzette Searle, President of the Wattle Day Association, Meredith Trinko, Exhibition Curator, Kiri Northam, Exhibition Designer, Adam Ball and Matt Frawley, the Honours Coin design team, invited guests and our beloved Mint staff – the Minties. Not to be confused with the chewy kind, though both are known for sticking around.
I’m chuffed to be reappointed as Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and to continue responsibility for the Royal Australian Mint. In that capacity, it’s my pleasure to welcome you here to the Royal Australian Mint for the opening of this new exhibition – Reflection: 50 Years of the Australian Honours System.
This exhibition is a celebration – of national pride, remarkable individuals, and the enduring partnership between the Royal Australian Mint and Government House.
For half a century, the Australian Honours System has recognised courage, service and achievement across our wide and diverse nation.
And today, through coins, medals and stories, we reflect on the history and craftsmanship behind these honours – and those who wear them.
Reflection brings together extraordinary objects from the National Coin Collection, many never before displayed to the public.
Among them is the 1879 International Exhibition medallion from Sydney – a rare and beautiful piece of the country’s early medal‑making history. And, more recently, the Platinum Jubilee 50 cent Silver Proof coin, which honours Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable legacy.
We are privileged to display distinguished awards from Government House, like the Cross of Valour – Australia’s highest civilian bravery decoration – and the 80th Anniversary of Armistice Remembrance Medal, both symbols of sacrifice and commemoration.
The roots of this exhibition go back to a conversation between the Mint’s Product Development team and Government House officials during the planning of a stunning 50 cent coin, minted to celebrate 50 years of the Honours and Awards.
The Mint’s curatorial team then combed through decades of documents, plasters and medals that form the National Coin Collection to uncover the many ties that bind the Mint with Government House.
They also worked closely with the Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat to identify key pieces held in the Government House Collection.
Slowly, an idea took shape: a shared story of craftsmanship, honour and national identity.
No story of the Australian Honours System would be complete without recognising the extraordinary contribution of designer Stuart Devlin. Born in Geelong, Devlin’s work shaped both Australia’s decimal coins and our honours.
In 1964, at the age of 33, Devlin won a competition to design Australia’s new decimal coins for the 1966 change over.
He moved to London, but in the 1970s was commissioned to design the first medals of the new Honours System – including the Order of Australia.
His designs, rich in gold and royal blue, reflected a modern, confident Australian identity – with the golden wattle, our national floral emblem, proudly at its heart. Devlin’s artistry didn’t stop there. His medal designs – from the Emergency Services Medal to the Civilian Service Medal – are as recognisable today as the coins he helped bring to life. The man was basically a one‑person design department.
His legacy continues to echo through the Mint’s circulating coin hall, where his decimal designs are still being struck today.
And yes, you’ll be pleased to know that Devlin himself was eventually recognised with an Australian honour, being appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988.
To honour the role of the golden wattle in our Awards system, the Mint was fortunate to collaborate with Dr Suzette Searle, President of the Wattle Day Association.
Through generous loans from her personal collection, we see beautiful examples of how this humble flower has become a powerful national symbol of Australia – our floral emblem, not just in the awards, but in our coins and collectibles, too.
Its golden blossoms, grown on this land, reminds us of the diversity of Australia and the many national and local stories of achievement we celebrate together through our Honours System.
Stories like that of Dewani Bakkum AM who has dedicated her life to helping migrants and refugees in the ACT.
Mrs Bakkum’s decades of volunteering, committees and various other roles – including her time as CEO of Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services, stems from her experience of migrating to Australia from Fiji more than 40 years ago, and growing up with a single mum.
Mrs Bakkum was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2022 for significant services to migrant and refugee services, and to the community, as well as the FECCA Multicultural Award and the ACT International Women’s Award for Multiculturalism in 2008 in recognition of her selfless contributions.
Goch Kot is another Canberran with an incredible story.
While working as a security guard at the Royal Australian Mint in 2015, Mr Kot intervened in a violent attack on his way home after a Socceroos match – disarming and restraining a person who was wielding a weapon.
After Mr Kot’s heroic actions, he told The Canberra Times he wasn’t a hero – just a ‘typical Aussie Bloke’ who did what anyone else would have done.
A humble hero, Goch Kot was awarded a Bravery Medal the following year in 2016 by ACT Police.
Dewani Bakkum and Goch Kot are both here today, and their incredible stories featured in the new exhibition video.
At its heart, Reflection is more than an exhibition.
It’s a conversation between the past and the present, a tribute to the talents of those behind the scenes, and a celebration of the Australians whose service and excellence have shaped our national story.
In putting this exhibition together, the team have pored over archives, medals, mintings and memories – a task that requires equal parts historical rigour and the ability to read someone else’s handwriting from 1978.
Thank you for being here this morning to share in these stories with us, and I would like to congratulate the dedicated staff that have worked to put the exhibition together.
The Mint is more than just an institution that produces and circulates coins. It is a part of Australia’s history – a significant national institution that plays a vital role in storytelling and education for generations to come.
And now, through this exhibition – local, interstate and international visitors alike will gain a deeper understanding of the Australian Honours System and the extraordinary stories of those who are recognised for their excellence, achievement and meritorious service and contributions to our society.
https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2025/speeches/address-reflection-50-years-australian-honours-system-royal