>You will be aware that the issue of Domain Name allocation has recently
>become more contentious with the release by the US government of a green
>paper outlining their preferred approach. This is at odds with the
>position of the EU, which favors a more international approach.  Some

I should point out the EU supports the gTLD approach of creating competing
data for the existing Zone files.

>Australian companies have outlayed payment for the expected rights to
>issue names under an alternative scheme.

I believe this is being investigated by a number of Authorities.  You are
aware that the "pre-registration", which in most cases is non-refundable,
only offers a 1 in 89 chance of getting the name you reserve.

>Australian industry must work together to develop a coordinated response
>to the US green paper.

I have been working on a response to the Green Paper specifically since the
night it was released.  I'll be submitting that response which also
contains responses to the USG's NOI from November 1997 that were not
permitted in the NOI repsonse because I wasn't a US Citizen.  

This has been noted by the coordination team of the NOI, although many of
my connects to the NOI were submitted by US affiliates.

>The forum will be held in Melbourne on Friday, 20 March 1998. Because of
>the need to progess a timely response to the green paper, proceedings

I hate to ask, but isn't this a little late in the game?  

There have been hundreds of documents circulating between the Internet
Domain Name Leaders the last month, to which many very interesting results
have been submitted.  I can't imagine the volume of information being
provided in a single meeting three days before the deadline.

>will be expedited. IIA/ADNA will be inviting attendance from appropriate
>industry bodies and players with a recognised interest in this debate.

I haven't been invited either through AURSC, AHNET or as myself.  I guess
IIA and ADNA don't recognise me??

>However, given the significance of this issue to the broader internet
>industry, other parties are welcome to attend.

I see.

>Participants will be asked to contribute to a constructive outcome, in
>the form of a position paper, which can be conveyed to the relevant
>international fora involved in this debate.

I could think of far better ways of doing all of this to everyones
advantage rather than asking everyone to trek to Melbourne.  It would allow
a far greater Audience, and speed the meeting process up considerably.  You
would only require a physical attendance of a select few people say a
Lawyer, TIO rep, ACCC rep, Telstra Rep, Optus Rep, IIA rep and one or two
other parites to help document.

>As forum convenors, we anticipate that the results of the meeting will
>also form the basis of an industry wide submission to government, which
>has indicated its willingness to take industry concerns into
>consideration in the formulation of a government-government response to
>the green paper.

This will be interesting. Considering the discussions I've had over the
last 6 weeks on the issue with USG and US major players.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The advice offered in this email is not considered professional advice,
or it would be accompanied by an invoice. No permission is granted for 
republication of comments, without written consent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business Development, Technology Domain Registration and Network Advisory
Telstra Convery Member			  AURSC    http://www.aursc.ah.net
Adam Todd                                 Personal http://adamtodd.ah.net  
at§aus  or  at@ah.net				   http://adam.says.sheesh
Phone +61 2 9729 0565                     Network  http://www.ah.net
AU Internet News  mailto:internet-request§ah.net  with "subscribe"