auDA has today released the details of a new governance model. This follows a review by the Department of Communications and the Arts that saw communications minister Mitch Fifield give the organisation three months to deal with a range of matters DoCA said meant it was no longer fit for purpose.
For those of you following the review of auDA – the company managing our Internet domain names. auDA's Chair, Chris Leptos, has released the following statement.
It is now 130 days since the Minister for Communications and the Arts (Senator Mitch Fifield) wrote to auDA outlining the 29 recommendations of the review into the .au namespace (the Review). In this time we have published auDA's Implementation Plan, which details the steps we are taking to meet the new 'Terms of Endorsement', in addition to conducting an extensive consultative process through the Consultation Model Working Group (CMWG) on the proposed governance framework and membership model.
The proposition that there's widespread member concern at the state of auDA – the company managing our Internet domain names – has been dealt a definitive blow.
As I've previously written, tomorrow in Melbourne a Special General Meeting will determine the fate of three directors of auDA – the company managing our Internet domain names – including the independent chair Chris Leptos.
I recently published a Q&A with Cameron Boardman, the CEO of auDA, and subsequently a list of questions for the Grumpies – the small group of auDA members that called for the meeting. They have so far refused to answer their questions.
The additional information below has been supplied by auDA for its members and anyone else interested in the future of our domain names service.
I have been watching with dismay the online commentary by a small number of members who seem determined to undermine the good work of auDA, and by extension the .au community.
Turmoil within Australia's internet domain administration could lead to it being handed back to the government. From my experience dealing with domain name owners and users in my former role as executive director of Internet Australia, I doubt it is in anyone's best interests for this to occur.