auDA receives Government endorsement

Posted by Jo Lim on 19 December 2000

.au Domain Administration (auDA) has been formally endorsed by the Australian Government as the appropriate entity to hold the delegation of authority for administration of the .au domain space.

Senator Richard Alston, The Minister for Communications, Information Economy and the Arts, has signed a letter formally giving auDA Government endorsement.

In order to receive Government endorsement, auDA has been required to demonstrate that it meets the objectives set out by Government in the initial phases of the self-regulatory reform process, namely that auDA will:

• operate as a fully self-funding and not-for-profit organisation;
• be inclusive of, and accountable to, members of the Internet community including both the supply and demand sides;
• adopt open, transparent and consultative processes;
• aim to enhance benefits to Internet users through the promotion of competition, fair trading and provisions for consumer protection and support;
• establish appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms;
• and represent Australian Internet industry interests in the Internet domain name system at national and international fora.

"Receipt of this endorsement is a significant step for auDA and follows our October submission of a comprehensive report to the Government setting out how we had met, or put in place the necessary mechanisms to meet these objectives'' said auDA CEO Chris Disspain.

"Our next step will be to seek the agreement of Mr Robert Elz, the current delegated administrator of the .au domain space, to transfer the delegation of authority to auDA'.'

Mr Greg Watson, auDA co-Chair praised the Government decision to endorse auDA, a move which now clears the way forward for auDA to assume its role of regulating domains that end in .au.

"Clearly Government is now satisfied that auDA is a truly representative organisation and is confident in its ability to undertake this role,'' Mr Watson said.

"The auDA board has worked extremely hard to put in place an open and consultative organisation with a sound funding base. It is a tribute to their efforts, the support of our members and the ongoing support and contribution from NOIE that this result has been achieved,'' he said.

For further information please contact:

Chris Disspain
au Domain Administration
ceo@auda.org.au

19 December 2000