12 September 2002

Dr. Derek Whitehead
New 2LD Panel Chair
.au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA)
107 Faraday Street
Carlton VIC 3053

RE: Support for Catholic.au proposal

Dear Dr. Whitehead:

It has come to our attention that as part of its new second level 
domain (2LD) selection process, auDA is seeking evidence of 
community support for applications currently under consideration. 
Catholic Health Australia is writing to register its support for the 
catholic.au proposal submitted by Church Resources on behalf of the 
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

Catholic Health Australia is the national organisation representing 
more than 680 Catholic health care sponsors, systems, facilities, 
and related organisations and services.  The sector comprises
providers of the highest quality care in a network of services ranging
from acute care to community-based services.  The Catholic health
ministry consists of:

• 130 owners of Catholic health, aged and health related 
community care services, 111 of which are members of 
Catholic Health Australia
• 500 aged care services
• 330 approved residential services
• 16,753 residential aged care beds
• 5,334 retirement and independent living units and services 
apartments
• 8,500 beds in 58 health care facilities
• 7 teaching hospitals
• expanding home and community care services

Catholic Health Australia's network represents the largest non-
government provider grouping of health, aged and health related
community care services in Australia.

We believe that Catholic.au presents a unique opportunity to
establish and demonstrate a successful community-based 2LD on
the Australian Internet.  The catholic.au domain will afford the
Catholic Church of Australia and its institutions greater opportunity
and choice in determining its presence and reflecting its sense of
community in the on-line world.  Furthermore, as a major social
service, educational, employment and healthcare provider to
Australians nationwide, we also believe that catholic.au also has the
potential to benefit Australian Internet users beyond the Catholic
community.

Catholic Health Australia hopes that the proposal will receive fair
review from the auDA new 2LD review panel.  We look forward to
your positive recommendation and the successful implementation of
catholic.au.

Sincerely,


Francis Sullivan
Chief Executive Officer


Cc: 	Tony Staley, auDA Chairman
	Chris Disspain, auDA Chief Executive Officer
	Jo Lim, auDA Chief Policy Officer
	Reverend Father Michael Kelly SJ, Chief Executive Officer,
	Church Resources
	The Hon. Senator Richard Alston, Minister for Communication,
	Information Technology and the Arts