BIG SNIP.  If you didn't read it go and read it.  It was good.

>And for those who are just as ignorant on this list as they are on all the
>others - no, the country TLDs were never intended for governments, all it
>would take is a little historical perspective to understand that.   Back when
>the country domains were created, there were no governments in the least bit
>interested in the internet, or its name space - with the possible
exception of
>a few pieces of the US govt.   Allocating domains to country governments
would
>have been the height of absurdity.   The country domains were (and are)
for the 
>countries, not for their governments.

Robert, as much as all this is totally correct and spot on and really nice,
the allocation of ccTLD's was created on a per country basis, especially
regognising that the ccTLD must conform to the ISO country codes as defined
by the ITU.

The ITU derives these codes probably by tossing coins sometimes, but in
basis, according to the countries name as identified by that countries
Government.

I'm sure there is more that can be said - but lets be brief.

Now the question arises.  If the majority of ccTLD's are now being
administred at their top level by their governments, either directly or in
participation with the public, does that not mean - or at least in TODAYS
chain of events, not the historic - that AU should eventually be handled by
a Trustee made up of AU Government - and at minimum AU citizens?

Go for it Rob, this will be educational and hopefully help put things back
on track - a little.

(BTW for those who are going to have an ANTI ADAM flaming war, just because
I put forward the comments above, and they are in the form of a speculative
question, does not mean I agree, support or follow the commented process.)