Reflecting on auIGF 2025

The 2025 Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF) was held 23-24 September, attracting more than 200 in-person and online attendees for an interactive discussion on internet governance in Australia.

The auIGF is part of the global network of Internet Governance Forums that operate nationally, regionally and globally. The purpose of the forum is to provide a platform for dialogue on internet governance issues, helping to shape the internet’s evolution, development and its uses. As part of our commitment to multi-stakeholder internet governance, auDA is a key participant in the event, and provides secretariat support to the volunteer auIGF organising committee.

As the first auIGF held in South Australia (in Adelaide), this year’s event included many new participants, and the program (developed through a public call for sessions) featured several local first-time presenters and a range of topical issues.

auDA appreciated all of the sessions during the auIGF. Three in particular stood out to us:

• The session on digital inclusion explored how rapid tech advancement creates a risk of people being left behind and advocating for national coordination to drive progress on digital inclusion. auDA supports digital inclusion projects through its Community Grant Program, and will consider how it can support better national coordination on this topic.
• Drawing on auDA’s Digital Lives of Australians 2025 report, a session on the human elements of trust online discussed how Australians frequently perceive cyber security to be overwhelming. An uplift in cyber security skills for all Australians, coupled with industry adoption of Secure By Design principles, could support a more secure online environment. auDA will continue to generate research to strengthen Australia’s online environment.
• A timely session on trust in the communications sector, part of Australia’s critical infrastructure, saw passionate exchanges between the consumer advocate and telecommunications provider perspectives, as the sector considers the tension between community desire for always-on telecommunications services backed by Government legislation, and market-based solutions in a competitive market for telecommunications services, where consumers have a choice of provider that best meets their needs. auDA will continue to play its part in fostering multi-stakeholder methods that can dig beyond the headlines and solve shared problems.

Two proposals published in advance of the auIGF reached consensus during the forum. The position paper process, introduced in 2024, is a way for the auIGF to test consensus on internet governance matters, and produce meaningful outputs for stakeholders to use.

A proposal for a Social Contract on Digital Wellbeing focussed on the possibility of developing a shared framework of principles, rights and responsibilities to guide Australia’s digital development. Participants agreed there was value in further exploring a shared national vision, noting the need for an implementable approach as opposed to simply a wish list. The next step in the creation of the Contract will be for the auIGF’s leadership to determine how it will be developed . Ways for the community to be involved and more news about next steps will be shared in the next few weeks.

Updates to the 2024 auIGF position paper on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) were also discussed. The goal was to agree messages as an auIGF input to the WSIS+20 stakeholder consultation. The auIGF agreed WSIS+20 messages are:

• Strengthen existing internet governance information sharing and dialogue structures in the United Nations, rather than creating new ones
• Continue and strengthen the Internet Governance Forum
• Inclusive multi-stakeholder processes that include governments, the private sector, the technical community, academia and civil society are vital to address the challenges of the modern internet, and;
• Implementation of the Global Digital Compact should not duplicate the WSIS framework and should be multi-stakeholder.

auDA hosted a WSIS+20 webinar just prior to the auIGF. Speakers from auDA, the Australian Government and the international technical community considered the current draft of the Review’s proposed outcomes document, potential negotiation dynamics in the lead-up to the Review and the implications for the internet in 2026 and beyond. The Review is scheduled to conclude in December 2025. If you are interested to learn more about this process, you can watch the webinar on the auDA website.

Overall, there was enthusiasm for the auIGF and ambition for its potential to make meaningful contributions to internet governance in Australia.

Underpinning the success of this year’s event was the practical demonstration of the multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together people with diverse expertise, experiences, backgrounds and ways of thinking to engage in constructive, respectful, open dialogue. The cross-pollination of ideas that the auIGF provides, and the opportunity for new relationships, new insights and challenged assumptions, are its strengths.

Parts of the discussion over the two days dealt with potential improvements to auIGF going forward. These included the need to continue to broaden and diversity participation, improved clarity about the role and scope of the auIGF, and refining and improving the utility of the forum’s outputs for stakeholders to use.

auDA is pleased and proud to have completed a second year as Secretariat for the auIGF. Supporting the community by sustaining this forum is integral to our strategy of supporting multi-stakeholder internet governance in Australia.

We look forward to contributing again in 2026, and beyond.