Australian domain administrator crisis deepens as members push to fire CEO and directors
The crisis at Australia’s domain administrator has grown as aggrieved members of the organisation push to fire the organisation’s CEO and three directors.
The move follows disquiet around auDA’s proposal to introduce new top level domain names which critics claim will increase the complexity and costs of running an online business in Australia.
Dissident auDA member Jim Stewart: “No business case for a major reform that is likely to have significant negative consequences”
As part of their campaign to derail the proposal, dissent members – who describe the ideas as “an online catastrophe for many Australian businesses” – have rounded up five percent of the organisation’s membership to force a special general meeting and called for CEO Cameron Boardman to resign immediately.
Jim Stewart, CEO of the digital marketing firm StewArt Media and a signatory to the letter demanding Boardman’s resignation said the situation has become untenable.
“Mr Boardman has provided industry with no business case for a major reform that is likely to have significant negative consequences and there has been very little consultation with industry to discuss this critical change.”
The auDA confirmed the push for a special general meeting with a spokesperson telling Mumbrella: “auDA acknowledges that a number of members have called for a special general meeting. It is auDA’s primary responsibility to manage the .au namespace for the benefit of all Australian digital users and to ensure that the trust and value of .au is preserved into the future.
“We are committed to treading extremely carefully with any potential reforms and that is why an independent panel has been consulting with stakeholders representing a full spectrum of views. The panel will report to the auDA board later in the year.
“This independent and open process should run its course. Under no circumstances should it be derailed by a group of advocates pushing only one side of the issue.
“Currently, Australia is among only a minority of G20 nations that do not offer a direct registration option, so it is absolutely appropriate that such an option is considered by the independent panel.
“auDA management and the auDA board remains completely committed to continuing with the independent review process.”
As yet no date has been set for the special general meeting.
Do you own a domain name, like yourname.com.au?
Have you been told by auDA that under their proposal, yourname.au will become available…. to owners of yourname.net.au, yourname.id.au, yourname.gov.au etc
You will not be given the first rights to nor have preferential treatment to register the .au version of your name but will probably go into a raffle with the others.
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David, how do you know this? The policy panel won’t be publishing its report for review until June 2018. Do you work for auDA and know the result already?
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David is simply repeating the information provided at the public forums.
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