More .au options for all Australians or not – the pointy end of the naming panel process

Details: Created: 20 August 2015

domain names

The 2015 Names Policy Panel has released its draft recommendations about the use and allocation of .au domain names, the most notable of which is a proposal that Australians should be allowed to register domain names directly under .au (such as abc.au or myname.au). This has not been possible in Australia before.

Under the proposals, the current 2LDs would remain available (com.au, net.au etc.) but Australian entities and individuals would be able to register under .au, too.

“The main reason the Panel has recommended this change is that direct registrations would create more options. They include names that are shorter, more appealing and more memorable. They would make the domain name system simpler and easier to use,” said Derek Whitehead, Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University of Technology and the Panel Chair.

The Panel is clear that direct registrations would have some rules applied to them, to continue to maintain a standard that reflects the trust and security synonymous with the .au domain name space.

Having released an issues paper earlier this year, the Panel is releasing its draft recommendations for a final round of consultation before submission to the auDA Board, who will make the decision about whether it goes ahead.

Comments can be submitted in two ways and the closing date for submissions is Wednesday 30 September 2015.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Helen Hollins
helen.hollins@auda.org.au
Ph: +61 3 8341 4111

Source: http://www.auda.org.au