auDA announces first full board

Posted by Jo Lim on 11 October 1999

The first full board has been elected as directors of the ".au Domain Administration" (auDA), a non-profit organisation tasked with the development of domain names ending with "au".

The annual general meeting was held on October 7, and eleven Directors were elected by the membership:

Demand Class
Mr Mark Hughes
Mr David Thompson
Mr Kim Davies

Supply Class
Mr Chris Chaundy (connect.com.au)
Mr Michael Malone (iiNet)
Mr David Keegel (Registrar for wattle.id.au)

Representative Association
Mr Greg Watson (Internet Society of Australia)
Mr Iain Morrison (Australian Vice Chancellors Committee)
Mr Kevin Dinn (Internet Industry Association)

General
Dr Erica Roberts (Melbourne IT)
Mr Kim Heitman (Electronic Frontiers Association)

auDA was formed in April 1999, with the assistance of the National Office of the Information Economy. auDA is working to establish itself as the authority for domain names in Australia through the creation of policy advisory panels to oversee policy development, by undertaking the development of an effective dispute resolution process, and progressing to appoint a CEO. Negotiations have also been underway with the existing registrars to obtain financial support for the organisation.

The new board will continue this work, with the aim of auDA becoming the authority for .au by the end of the year.

In a significant development, the current registrar for domain names ending with ".net.au", connect.com.au Pty Ltd, announced the signing of an interim agreement with auDA. This agreement provides auDA with ongoing financial support and will see connect.com.au continue to provide domain registration services for net.au

Mr Greg Watson, Deputy Chair, praised the move by connect.com.au. "This is an important day for the Australian Internet. A broadly representative board of directors has been elected to the first auDA board and connect.com.au, one of the key providers of domain names in Australia, has put its support behind the organisation."

auDA is currently seeking applicants for the full time position of CEO of the organisation.