Why we should care about changes to our internet domain names system
Laurie Patton explains the shifts currently at play within Australia’s internet domain names system, and what it means for the future of Australian websites.
Australia is a country in transition. Although we don’t hear as much about the “innovation nation” these days as we did a few years back, the reality is our future prosperity still lies in embracing a digitally enabled world. As the problems plaguing the National Broadband Network remain unresolved, another critical debate is reaching a climax.
At stake is the management of all our internet domain names. Not-for-profit company .au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) currently manages our internet domain names system. It is endorsed by the federal government and ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).
auDA will hold a general meeting of members later this week in order to secure approval for a new constitution and other consequential changes to its governance arrangements. This follows a demand for reform after a review by the Department of Communications and the Arts found the organisation no longer fit-for-purpose.
Has the current auDA membership been captured by employees of domain name sellers?
Yes it has! The conflicts of interest are obvious.
Bring on a Royal Commission into auDA and how they manage the .au namespace as a questionable ” Not For Profit” monopoly.
Why is auDA proceeding with the implementation of direct AU registrations without first presenting a business case to show why they are required? How will phishing increase with the new namespace?
Just a recap for people reading this article after the AGM held in November 2018, the efforts of the Grumpies to destabilise auDA failed. A new Constituion was approved by the membership and the federal government and a process is in place to establish a new board of dirextors.