NRG Meeting - 23 February 2004
Teleconference
Present: Chris Disspain, George Fong, Paul Harcombe, Jo Lim, Cheryl Langdon-Orr, Natasha McGuire, Cheryl Hardy, Lloyd Lacey, Ian Short, Kerry Webb
Apologies: Allan Lebusque, Rick Malony, TAS
Actions:
- JL to circulate draft minutes.
- auDA to draft registrar proposal for NRG meeting in April.
- NM to do further work on the state portal concept (eg. www.qld.au).
- NRG members to provide Advisory Forum names and contact details to NM by the end of March.
Discussion:
1. Domain Name Policy Rules and Guidelines
The NRG noted minor amendments to the Domain Name Policy Rules and Guidelines arising from discussion at the last meeting.
The NRG approved the Domain Name Policy Rules and Guidelines for the purposes of the pilot project.
2. Registry / Registrar Options
The proposal for auDA to provide (or fund) registrar services for the community geographic 2LDs was discussed at the auDA Board meeting on 9 February. Registrar representatives on the auDA Board indicated that there may be interest among commercial registrars in providing services for community geographic domain names. The Board confirmed the general principle that auDA is a registrar of last resort and should only provide services where no commercial opportunity exists.
auDA will examine different options for provision of registrar services and draft a proposal for NRG consideration in April. auDA director and TPP Internet managing director Peter Shilling will act as a liaison between registrars and the NRG.
3. Reserve Listing for com.au and net.au
The auDA Board also discussed the timing of public consultation regarding the restriction on geographic names in com.au and net.au.
In response to concerns expressed by NRG members, the board agreed to postpone the consultation until June 2004, by which time it is expected that the community geographic 2LDs will be ready for public release.
4. National General Assembly of Local Government Resolution
auDA wrote to ALGA on 29 January expressing concern about the National General Assembly of Local Government resolution passed in November 2003:
"That the Australian Local Government Association lobby the Federal Government and au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA) to have Local Government Authorities given the right and responsibility to manage internet domain names based on location within the local governments area of government.
The ownership of such domain names be vested in the local government authority for promotion of the community with no rights of transfer."
CD had a follow up phone call with John Pritchard at ALGA. CD advised that JP understood the NRG's views with regard to local council involvement in community geographic domains, and he undertook to communicate it to ALGA members at upcoming meetings.
The NRG reiterated its position that community geographic domain names should not be automatically registered to the local council. There is some preference for the "objection" approach, whereby the relevant local council would be notified of a pending application and would have a reasonable period of time (eg. 30 days) to lodge an objection. The pilot project will help to test different levels of local government involvement.
5. State Portals (eg. www.qld.au)
NM presented a paper outlining the original OCOS vision for state portals. The state portal was intended primarily as a navigation and promotion tool. At its most basic, the portal would merely comprise a list of geographic domain names within the state/territory, with links to active community web sites. Additional functionality could include a map image and a search engines. There is no intention for the state portal to replace any existing government entry point at a state level.
NRG members expressed in principle support for the concept, but questioned who would run the portals and how costs would be met.
PH advised that agencies such as the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) already operate interactive map web sites, and they may be able to accommodate the state portals within their existing structures at low cost. PH undertook to flag the issue at the next ICSM meeting.
NM agreed to do some further work on the proposal and report back to the NRG.
6. NSW Pilot Project Update
NM gave an update on the NSW pilot project. A public meeting was held in Bathurst on 18 February with good attendance by a range of community stakeholders. The local web site committee will be established shortly.
The University of Wollongong has agreed to run a test case and conduct independent assessment of the pilot project.
The Ballarat test case is being conducted under the auspices of C-Ballarat with City of Ballarat endorsement. Consultations with key community groups have commenced, including with operators of existing web portals in the Ballarat area.
NM advised that a number of local residents in SE South Australia and SW Victoria have expressed strong concerns about AUSCITY Online's proposal to conduct test cases. The NRG agreed not to proceed with the proposal on the basis that AUSCITY does not appear to be "representative of the local community", as required under the Domain Name Policy Rules and Guidelines.
7. Advisory Forum
The Advisory Forum will be established in April. NRG members were invited to provide names and contact details to NM by the end of March.
8. Next Meeting
The next teleconference will be held in early April. Dates will be canvassed on the mail list.
