New five and ten dollar bank notes are being launched today, and they'll be brighter and have more security features.

LISTEN: Claire Matthews speaks to Mike Hosking about the new banknotes.

The Reserve Bank Governor will unveil the fresh-look five and ten dollar notes in Wellington this morning.

PICTURES: See all the new banknotes here:

Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews said it's been a few years since the last redesign, and the key reason for the changes are increased security.

"Technology has advanced which means that those that are not so well intentioned have used that technology for fraudulent purposes so the Reserve Bank is looking to keep up with them."

Ms Matthews said counterfeiting is relatively rare in New Zealand, and upgrading our banknotes with new security features is about keeping it that way.

"The reality is that if you don't keep up with the technology then that's opening the currency up to potential counterfeitings."

Claire Matthews says the content in terms of people, birds and plants will be the same, they will just look a bit brighter and more colourful.