auDA 2018/19 Annual Report details ambitious transformation program

Posted by auDA on 21 October 2019

Australia’s domain name administrator today published its 2018/19 Annual Report.

Download: auDA Annual Report 2018/2019

The report details an ambitious transformation program delivered by the Board and the organisation that included:

• Introducing a new Constitution, governance model and reporting framework;
• On a single day in July 2018, transitioning more than 3.1 million domain names to Afilias, a new registry operator that was selected following a tender process conducted in 2017;
• Introducing one to five-year domain registrations;
• Implementing a new IT platform that has begun reducing the time taken to resolve consumer complaints;
• Overhauling IT and security systems, processes and policies to give effect to new, stricter ISO-based security standards;
• Launching a new associate membership program, which attracted nearly 600 members in its first three months and a further 800 by October 2019; and
• Enhancing transparency by implementing Tier 1 financial reporting and adopting more conservative standards that change when revenue can be recognised.
  
  

In addition auDA continued preparing for the launch of new, shorter domain names that will help boost the digital economy and drive social inclusion and progressed plans to introduce new licensing rules. These preparations took the form of extensive policy development and consultation, which continues into 2019/20.

Reflecting on the year, Chair Suzanne Ewart said she and her fellow directors looked back with great satisfaction at what had been achieved.

“As a united group, the auDA Board’s priority has been to deliver the reforms in a transparent and professional manner to best support the interests of our broad stakeholders,” she said. 

 “Our determination to contemporise the organisation ensures that the Government, domain registrars and the public at large can now have full confidence that the necessary policies and processes are in place for an effectively administrated and governed .au domain space.

“I am pleased we have strengthened the organisation’s capabilities and have embedded a framework that will better enable auDA to address future challenges and opportunities.

“The Board would particularly like to recognise the efforts and support of all auDA staff for their tireless work in the implementation of the reforms.”

The Annual Report is accompanied by a special companion document which transparently measures auDA’s performance against the Australian Government’s terms of endorsement and reports auDA’s successful implementation of recommendations made in April 2018 by the Department of Communications and the Arts.