Thanks Mark.

<snip>
* This may not be able to be implemented until later this year when
competition between Registrars starts.  Having Registrar competition is the
simplest way to ensure any reduction in Regulatory Authority fees is passed
to the end users.  Its do-able before then of course, but a bit more complex.
<snip>

So, we put $5 towards running auDA and the other  $135 get sucked into
MelbourneIT and is never seen again.  There's not a lot of value in reducing the
small amount - it's the big dollars that are worth going after.

As I see it, an improvement on this process would be for auDA to put the running
of the registry itself out to tender (with sufficient checks and safeguards).
When the au database management function handled - at I guess another 5 to 10
bucks - the whole thing starts to look really good.  Resellers could compete for
punters at their chosen margin.  At this stage, bunches of generic names could
be auctioned off and the proceeds used to support the auDA and registry -
probably for years.

Any sort of auction before competition would, I fear, benefit MelbIT rather than
anyone else.

Regards

Jim Birch