On Thu, 29 Mar 2007, Josh Rowe wrote:

 > auDA conducts online policy survey
 > http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-29032007/
 > 
 > " ...
 > 
 > auDA conducts online policy survey
 > 29/Mar/2007
 > 
 > auDA's 2007 Names Policy Panel is currently considering changes to .au policy, including:
 > 
 > - allowing direct registrations in .au (eg. name.au) 
 > - changes to .au eligibility and allocation policy rules
 > - allowing registrants to sell their .au domain names.
 > 
 > As input to the Panel process, auDA has commissioned Nexus Research
 > to conduct an online survey of .au registrants and Internet users. 

I have real concerns about the integrity of this process:

1) Is this anonymous survey, as reported by one newspaper article
mentioned in David Goldstein's newsletter, to be one out of of the two
public consultations on these proposals by this panel?

2) Is a complete copy of the survey questions available for scrutiny?

Having completed the survey, it's clear that it is a multi-path set of
questions, so one is not aware what questions are being asked of those
who choose different answers to various questions? (without cheating)

3) What methods are being employed by Nexus Research to prevent 'ballot
stuffing", ie multiple voting by any parties interested in the outcome?

 > auDA and the Panel encourage everyone with an interest in .au domain
 > name policy issues to participate in the online survey. Please note
 > that the identity of respondents will not be disclosed to auDA or the
 > Panel. 

This latter point is rather of concern, unless we can be satisfied that
"ballot stuffing" has been obviated, because I have little doubt that
these results will be interpreted as 'votes' for some desired outcome,
despite their anonimity reducing their true value to close to zero.

 > To participate in the online survey, please click here
 > http://www.nexusresearch.com.au/sswebend/ssweb9.exe?f=7036Web+au2842+11+10+1
 > 
 > For more information about the Panel and its full Terms of Reference, please click here
 > http://www.auda.org.au/2007npp/

Been there, done that.  So far, just the once.

Cheers, Ian