Name Policy Review Panel
Terms of Reference
This document is the Terms of Reference for auDA's Name Policy Review Panel, approved by the auDA Board on 15 June 2004.
Purpose
The purpose of the Panel is to:
- review auDA's Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07); and
- provide recommendations to the auDA Board about what changes (if any) should be made to that policy.
Background
In May 2001 auDA's Name Policy Advisory Panel recommended a new, uniform policy framework for the allocation of domain names in the five open 2LDs (asn.au, com.au, id.au, net.au, org.au). This common framework replaced the individual policies that had been developed by the different open 2LD administrators since the early 1990s. (Refer to the "Review of Policies in .au 2LDs: Recommended Changes to Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policies in the .au Domain Space, May 2001" .)
auDA implemented the Name Policy Advisory Panel's recommendations in the Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07) which took effect on 1 July 2002. auDA has also produced Guidelines for Accredited Registrars on the Interpretation of Policy Rules for Open 2LDs (2003-07).
Activity and Outcome
1. The Panel will review the Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07), specifically:
- the policy rules in Schedule A;
- the eligiblity criteria for the five open 2LDs in Schedules B-F; and
- the allocation criteria for the five open 2LDs in Schedules B-F.
The Panel will consider the coherence, effectiveness and relevance of the Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07) with regard to all users (including industry and consumers) of the Australian DNS.
In conducting its review, it is expected that the Panel will take into account information provided by auDA about the operation of the Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07) since 1 July 2002.
The following matters DO NOT form part of the Panel's Terms of Reference:
- Review of the restriction on use of Australian geographic names in com.au and net.au. auDA will be conducting public consultation on this issue as part of a separate policy review process.
- Consideration of whether registrations should be allowed directly under .au (eg. "myname.au"). The auDA Board has confirmed its commitment to the existing 2LD hierarchy.
2. The Panel will undertake at least two public consultations during the course of its work.
3. The Panel will report to the auDA Board with clear recommendations about that changes (if any) should be made to the Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for the Open 2LDs (2002-07).
Timeline
An indicative timeline is as follows:
| Activity | Timing |
| Call for nominations | June |
| 1st meeting | 27 July |
|
2nd meeting 1st public consultation |
August |
| 3rd meeting | September |
| 2nd public consultation | October |
| 4th meeting | November |
| Final report to auDA Board | December |
The timeline is subject to change.
Members
The Panel will consist of up to 20 members other than the Chair. It is intended that the Panel will represent the key stakeholders in the Australian DNS, including industry, consumers, government and legal. Panel members will be appointed by the auDA Board on the basis of their individual skills, experience and knowledge of the domain name industry.
Membership of the Panel is on a voluntary basis. Panel members must be prepared to commit their time and effort for the duration of the Terms of Reference (refer to Timeline above). The first meeting of the Panel has been scheduled for Tuesday 27 July 2004.
Chair
Derek Whitehead, Director Information Services, Swinburne University
(Former Chair of auDA's Name Policy Advisory
Panel and New Names Advisory Panel)
Operations
The Panel will determine its own operational procedures.
auDA will provide secretariat and other operational support to the Panel.
