For interest:


http://www.dca.gov.au/mediarel/98/028.html

Media release

Senator The Hon Richard Alston
Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the
Arts
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate



     Proposed US changes to Internet Domain Name Regime


The Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and
the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, today said the Australian
Government was concerned with aspects of an American
proposal to change the way Internet Domain Names are
registered and administered worldwide.

'The US Government proposal would, among other changes, see
oversight of the central Internet governance issues
transferred to a US-based corporation subject to US law, and
a new system which would effectively ensure US jurisdiction
over trademark issues and dispute resolution processes,'
Senator Alston said.

'The proposed US model appears not to recognise the
desirability of developing an international approach to
Internet-related issues, and as such is contrary to the
Australian Government's belief that Australia deserves a
major voice in determining how international domain name
arrangements are structured.

'Not only are Australian businesses increasingly significant
users of worldwide domain name services, also known as
generic Top Level Domains, but we also have a number of
Australian companies seeking to become involved in providing
services in this area.

'The US proposals also appear to ignore existing
international efforts to reform the Internet domain name
registration system, such as the option put forward by the
Internet Ad Hoc Committee of concerned Internet experts from
a number of countries which has culminated in a Memorandum
of Understanding which can be signed by firms, organisations
and governments who wish to participate in the Ad Hoc
Committee's reform process. This MOU now has 212
signatories.'

Senator Alston said he had directed the National Office for
the Information Economy (NOIE) to, as a matter of urgency,
develop a formal Australian response to the US proposal
after consultations with the Australian Internet industry,
the business sector, and other key stake holders.

The US Government released its proposals on February 20,
with a deadline for public comment of March 23.

'This timetable is, in Australia's view, unrealistic. We
will aim, however, to have our submission ready for
presentation within several weeks of the American-imposed
deadline,' Senator Alston said.

'We need to ensure that the views of Australian stake
holders, and the Australian Government, are fully considered
in decisions to reform the international system.'

Generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) describe web sites such as
(www.yahoo.com) where the name of the web site does not have
a country specific suffix (such as .au) at the end to
indicate the country location of the web site and its
owner. In the past, gTLDs have been used predominantly by US
firms, but increasingly they are being used by Australian
and other non-US firms either to emphasise the global nature
of their operations, or simply as a preferred alternative to
equivalent country-based domains.

NOIE Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paul Twomey, said
efficient, effective operation of the domain name system was
critical for Australian businesses as they go online.

'We need to ensure that there are real opportunities for
Australia to participate fully in the information
economy. At a basic user level this includes Australian
businesses which wish to project a global image having easy
and equitable access to their preferred domain name. In
addition it also covers Australian businesses who want to be
participants in the management of generic Top Level
Domains,' Dr Twomey said.

Dr Twomey said Australia's submission would fully take into
account all international policy developments.

'We also need to take into account how these international
reforms will impact on our own reforms of the Australian
domain system. The Australian Government has been strongly
promoting self-governance in national domain name
management,' Dr Twomey said.

Media Contact: Terry O'Connor,
               Minister's office
               02 6277 7480 or 0419 636 879
Websites: www.richardalston.dca.gov.au
          www.noie.gov.au

28/98
10 March 1998

-- 
 glen.turner§itd.adelaide.edu.au    Network Support Specialist
 Tel: (08) 8303 3936           Information Technology Division
 Fax: (08) 8303 4400            University of Adelaide SA 5005