NRG Meeting - 21 July 2004
Teleconference
Present: Chris Disspain, Jo Lim, Cheryl Langdon-Orr, George Fong, Natasha McGuire, Cheryl Hardy, Kerry Webb, Paul Harcombe, Allan Lebusque
Apologies: QLD, WA, Peter Shilling
Actions:
- JL to circulate draft minutes.
- auDA to send email to test cases regarding next steps.
1. Test Case Applications Assessment Report
NRG members reviewed the assessment reports for each test case application. The NRG commended the efforts of the test case assessors.
It was agreed that the application process could be shortened and simplified by requiring applicants to provide only the information needed to make an assessment under the policy rules. Information such as business and marketing plans, administrative and technical contacts for the web site are not necessary for the purposes of deciding whether or not an applicant is entitled to register the domain name. NRG members noted that commercial registrars would want to be able to automate and streamline the assessment process as much as possible in order to keep costs to a minimum.
The NRG confirmed that all three test case applications passed the assessement process and would therefore be entitled to register their community geographic domain name.
auDA advised that the test cases cannot register the actual domain names at this time, because the auDA Board has not yet authorised public release of the domain names. For the purposes of continuing the pilot project, auDA will arrange for "dummy" domain names to be allocated so the test cases can build their community web portals. auDA agreed to send an explanatory email to the test cases.
2. Dispute Resolution
NRG members considered the draft Dispute Resolution Policy prepared by auDA. The following points were clarified:
- auDA would appoint a dispute resolution service provider to facilitate proceedings under the policy; individual mediators or arbitrators would be appointed by the service provider.
- The three types of bad faith activity in paragraph 3.5b) of the Arbitration Policy are examples only. Evidence of bad faith activity would be assessed by the arbitrator on a case-by-case basis.
The NRG approved the draft Dispute Resolution Policy and noted that implementation of the policy is subject to the auDA Board's consideration of the pilot project preliminary evaluation report in August.
3. Pilot Project Update
NM gave an update on the test cases. All three communities are proceeding to develop their web portals, subject to the outcome of the their domain name applications.
Final test case reports are due by 3 August.
4. auDA Public Consultation
auDA has issued a call for public submissions on whether or not the restriction on Australian place names in com.au and net.au should be lifted. The deadline for submissions is 30 July, with outcomes to be considered by the auDA Board in August. NRG members were invited to participate in the policy review. Public submissions are posted on the auDA web site at http://www.auda.org.au/reviews/geonames-2004/.
5. Next Meeting
The next teleconference will be held on Tuesday 3 August 2004, 2-4pm.
A representative from the University of Wollongong will attend the meeting to present the preliminary evaluation report
