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Government considering .au namespace management

DomainNames

Top Contributor
Rumours are circulating the Australian Commonwealth Government Department Of Communications may be taking over the .au management from auDA and associated .au wholesale registry management. ( they may go to tender or do it in house)

I think it is important for Australian Critical Infrastructure that such a back up plan is at least 100% mapped out and ready to go if and when needed.

Although this appears to not be on the auDA minutes I have been told this by a very reliable source..... maybe auDA and the Board need to get their act together.

The recent SGM saga was a wake up call for many.. apparently it did get some notice from Government as did some recent media.

https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet
https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet/internet-governance
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
I would welcome this simply from a security point of view ... and maybe it will bring auDA into line.

Agree, I am generally in favor of the idea of a government takeover. You can see this idea is moderately popular at least here,

Screen Shot 2017-10-02 at 3.09.37 pm.png
https://www.dntrade.com.au/threads/...-auda-or-new-legislation-to-control-it.11338/

The structure of the organization (supply stacked) is broken and I don't think it can be fixed given the branch stacking, in particular supply members also joining as demand members. That practice has been going on along time and AUDA's failure to police it suggests that it is seen as acceptable within the organisation,

Screen Shot 2017-10-02 at 3.12.18 pm.png
 

snoopy

Top Contributor

DomainNames

Top Contributor
Agree, I am generally in favor of the idea of a government takeover. You can see this idea is moderately popular at least here,

View attachment 598
https://www.dntrade.com.au/threads/...-auda-or-new-legislation-to-control-it.11338/

The structure of the organization (supply stacked) is broken and I don't think it can be fixed given the branch stacking, in particular supply members also joining as demand members. That practice has been going on along time and AUDA's failure to police it suggests that it is seen as acceptable within the organisation,

View attachment 600

What is auDA doping about the blatant Supply stacking of "Demand" memberships and votes? Seriously this leaves many people to really doubt anything has changed with the "new" auDA.

Another AGM coming soon and really what has the "new" auDA achieved in the last 18 months? Things went from bad to worse in many cases but at least the SGM pulled some people into line if only briefly.

Memberships and board seats still are stacked, minutes are so thin on actual detail they are nearly totally blank compared to previous years. This is not " good governance", rumours about auDA Foundation, the overdue wholesale .au price reduction as per the 2008 contract renewal, Forensic Accounting etc are not being addressed.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
What is auDA doping about the blatant Supply stacking of "Demand" memberships and votes? Seriously this leaves many people to really doubt anything has changed with the "new" auDA.

They are doing nothing and don't take the issue seriously at all. They only time they acted is when domainers joined! This is a serious one for AUDA to ignore because many other problems stem from the branch stacking issue in my view and it has become entrenched into the organisation. I suspect the only solution is government intervention.

Another AGM coming soon and really what has the "new" auDA achieved in the last 18 months? Things went from bad to worse in many cases but at least the SGM pulled some people into line if only briefly.

I can't think of a single positive thing that they have done. They have attempted to give Ausregistry another contract without a tender, attempted to bring in an illegal code of conduct and attempted to hide all the minutes. That is AUDA's year.

Memberships and board seats still are stacked, minutes are so thin on actual detail they are nearly totally blank compared to previous years. This is not " good governance", rumours about auDA Foundation, the overdue wholesale .au price reduction as per the 2008 contract renewal, Forensic Accounting etc are not being addressed.

Re the minutes - Let's wait for the next lot and compare it to the level of detail in the old. Suspect on this one as as well.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor

DomainNames

Top Contributor
"in camera" sessions will be good to watch when the government oversight committees and other organisations start digging and they are leaked or officially made available via certain means.
 

DomainNames

Top Contributor
.... July 2018?
I do hope people watch the auDA bank balance to make sure it is not all spent before the DOC take it over if it actually happens.

https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet
https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet/internet-governance

___________________

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/au_historical_financial_irregula

https://www.auda.org.au/about-auda/our-org/constitution/
8 WINDING UP
"On dissolution of the Company, the right to administer the .au ccTLD must either be transferred on to another entity nominated or approved by the Commonwealth of Australia or, in the absence of such approval, be transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia.

If upon the winding up or dissolution of auDA there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property or money whatsoever, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed to the Members but shall be transferred to the subsequent entity approved by the Commonwealth of Australia to manage the .au ccTLD."
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
I do hope people watch the auDA bank balance to make sure it is not all spent before the DOC take it over if it actually happens.

The annual report should be due any day now. Will be very interesting reading to see how much has been wasted on legal fees, legal settlements with staff following unfair dismissal, crisis management consultants etc. What is the real cost of having Boardman in the place?
 

DomainNames

Top Contributor
Government, auDA members and the millions of .au registrants who fund auDA deserve to know some answers;
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/au_historical_financial_irregula
  1. How much money is involved?
  2. For how long has it occurred?
  3. Who may have known about it?
  4. Who may have been involved?
  5. What is the FBT amount?
  6. Who is paying the FBT?
  7. What was the additional costs to find out all of this information, conduct the PPB Investigations, lawyers, consultants, advisors staff time etc
  8. What issues have been referred to ASIC, Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police or other Government Departments?
  9. Does the Australian Commonwealth Government have all of the information sought in the FOI, if not why not? https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/au_historical_financial_irregula
 

nt81

Top Contributor
They did a stellar job with the NBN. Can't wait to see how awesome they manage this one...
 

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