Board Minutes - 5 June 2000
Public Version
Meeting of the .au Domain Administration Board
5 June 2000 - 1.00pm
Melbourne IT. Level 2, 120 King Street. Melbourne VIC 3000
Present:
Chris Chaundy, David Keegel, Erica Roberts, Greg Watson (Chair), Kevin Dinn, Kim Davies, Kim Heitman
Advisory Panel Discussions:
Derek Whitehead and George Michaelson
Teleconference:
Michael Malone
Observers:
Jo Lim and Paul Walsh
Apologies:
David Thompson
1. Minutes of previous meeting
Motion that if no comments were received in the next week, the minutes of the previous meeting be accepted. Moved: GW, Seconded: MM. Carried.
2. Action items
List of action items was not presented.
3. Corporate governance
1. Independent Directors
KH reported on behalf of the Independent Directors Sub-Committee (IM, MM and KH).
The sub-committee proposed a short list of 5 names and proposed that these individuals be approached in that order to see if they were willing to serve as an auDA director.
Discussion about the importance of independent directors being supported by all major stakeholders.
Discussion about the issue of board independence, and NOIE's request for an auDA to have an independent chair. Paul Walsh confirmed that the definition of 'independent' was a person who was not, or was not an employee of:
a Registry
a registrar
a domain name administrator
a delegate
Agreed that each director has until Monday 12 June to advise KH of any concerns they have about any of the proposed independent directors. KH would advise the board list of any proposed independent directors who were not acceptable to a board member.
5. Treasurer's Report
Treasurer's report was tabled.
6. Membership report
Motion carried that the following be accepted as demand class members.
Geoff Mullis
Simon Stainsby
Tracey Bedford
7. Acting CEO's report
1. Contracts
All existing contracts were forwarded to board members for comments, and to the ACCC. A discussion on the MIT contract in relation to the auDA funding model.
2. Domain Name Database
NOIE has approached auDA with regard to use of the domain name database for statistical analysis such as country vs metro, state comparisons, etc. The auDA board previously approved making the domain names available to third parties. Acting CEO proposes the following extension to the policy: auDA will make the domain name database available to selected third parties. Information available to be used is:
domain names at detail level
geographic information - postcodes to be used at summary level only
creation date - to be used at summary (month minimum) level only
8. Advisory Panels
1. Name Policy Panel
To be set up:
Email list for panel members
Open email list for domain name policies - panel chair has responsibility of moderating the list.
Web archive for working papers
Web archive for submissions
General discussion about whether in principle board members should be allowed to participate in panels, and whether this created a conflict of interest as board members would have to approve the outcome of panels.
Motion carried that board members are not eligible to be members of Advisory Panels.
Membership Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility and Name Allocation Policy Review in Second Level Domains
auDA Advisory Panel No. 1
Membership Selection Criteria
Members of the Name Policy Advisory Panel are selected on the following criteria:
1. Ability to represent a specific stakeholder group - the Panel should include a balance of representatives from:
Consumers including commercial and non-commercial users.
Domain name holders
Registrars
ISP and web hosting entities
Intellectual property
2. Understanding of the issues being reviewed by the panel.
Motion that board members be ineligible for membership of auDA panels. Moved GW, seconded KD. Motion is carried.
DW to contact MIT and ask for new nominee.
Membership short list
Short list of panel members tabled.
Motion to accept the panel membership carried. Proposed KD, seconded KH.
2. Competition Panel
Draft Terms of Reference circulated to auDA board and ACCC:
Competition Model
auDA Advisory Panel No. 2 Terms of Reference
Revision Date: 1 June 2000
This document is the Terms of Reference for the auDA Policy Advisory Panel Number 2, for the development of a Competition Model for the .au namespace.
1. Activity and outcome
This Advisory Panel is set up to develop a Model to be used to introduce competition in the provision of domain name services in the .au namespace. auDA believes that the introduction of competition will deliver the best result for:
quality of service
user choice
lowest cost
The model will review different options for the operations of / interfaces between Regulatory Authority, Registry, Registrar, and User levels, and the relevant issues and effect of the options for:how registries, registrars, and users operate and interact, including issues of:
single/multiple registries
location and content of registry / registrar data
access, ownership and IP of registry data
communication between registry and registrar, and between Users and registry / registrar
security
transfer of users between registrars
service levels - quality and timeliness
licensing and accreditation of registry / registrar
barriers to entry
dispute resolution between various levels
equality of access
registry and registrar fees
The panel's operations will have multiple stages, with a separate report from each stage:
Stage 1: Define existing environment
Stage 2: Review current practices worldwide in other domains
Stage 3: Recommend competition model for .au, and an implementation strategy for introduction of competitionStage 1 and 2 may run concurrently.
2. Duration
The estimated timeline for the panel is subject to change. The current estimate is:
Elapsed Time
Activity
5 June
auDA board to confirm Terms of Reference
1 week
Call for participants
4 weeks
auDA board to confirm participants
6 weeks
First meeting; confirm Panel operational procedures; start Stage 1 and Stage 2
10 weeks
Stage 1 Documentation Draft complete
14 weeks
Stage 2 Draft complete; start Stage 3
22 weeks
Stage 3 Draft complete; start first public consultation period
26 weeks
End first public consultation period; start Proposed report.
28 weeks
End Proposed report; start second public consultation period
31 weeks
End second public consultation period; start final Report
33 weeks
Complete final Report; submit to auDA board
3. Chair
The panel Chair is George Michaelson.
4. Members
The panel should include representatives from all areas of the community including:
Consumers
General domain name users
Registrars
ISP & Web Hosting entities
Government
Panel membership will be limited to 30. auDA will issue a general invitation via the auDA members and discussion lists to interested parties to participate in the panel.
5. Operations and budget
Members of the panel will determine their method of operation. auDA will provide email list server, web site including archived submissions provided to the panel, documentation of work, will arrange meeting venues, and provide teleconference support for meetings. auDA also plans to provide resources to enable a consultant to carry out a substantial part of Stage 2.
Discussion on whether the TOR should include general principles regarding competition.
Motion that board members and Competition panel chair should review the TOR and suggest addititions/improvements via email for one week with revised TOR to be approved via email list.
Moved KH, seconded GW. Motion Carried.
9. Next meeting / Meeting closed
Meeting closed at 18:00.
Next meeting 13:00 3 July at Connect.com.au Level 9, 114 Albert Road South Melbourne