auDA Board Elections

[neddy]

As a current board member responsible for many of the old policy problems and red tape this is why many here want to vote you out it seems

Sorry admin .. last post... Apologies if it got off track in anyway.

Thank you DomainNames - it really will help if we can try and be nice to each other.

Remember that the art of diplomacy is "being able to tell someone to go to hell, but make them enjoy the journey".

And just to clarify, David Goldstein is not a current auDA Board Member. He has been on the Board previously, and has had an extensive background in the domain industry as a whole. Please refer his intro.

 

[David Goldstein]

Hi Nic,

Sorry, your post was at the top of a page and I missed it. In short on the issues you referred to, my responses are as follows:
* close and substantiation rule - I would support its abolition
* registrations at the second level - I support this
* opening up registrations of .AU domains on a wider scale - I am meaning by allowing registrants from around the world, so not just Australians - during the Names Policy Panel I was leaning towards allowing this as I do not see it has caused problems in other ccTLDs and I haven't had put to me an argument that holds when looking at what has happened in other ccTLDs. I do not see this as a problem.

 

[NicMason.com]

Thanks, David!

 

[neddy]

Official Candidates auDA Election

Attached is a link to the notice of the 2011 auDA AGM.

http://www.auda.org.au/agm/agm2011-notice/

It lists all the candidates, and there is also a link to the individual candidate statements.

One shock to me is that I notice David Goldstein is not nominated. Any explanation on that?

There is another candidate in there by the name of Paul Levins. Does anyone know Paul?

Cheers, Ned

 

[Lemon]

David: I don't see you on the list of candidates standing for election. http://www.auda.org.au/agm/agm2011-notice/

Josh: it says you have supplied a detailed candidate statement at josh.com.au can you link to it please.

Thanks
Lemon

 

[L-Jarrett]

Hi all,

I have been watching the thread with interest and am keen to share some views on the pros and cons of the various issues raised. I have seen Ned's comment:

So what I intend doing is compiling a short list of top questions, and then posting them into a separate thread. I will then ask each candidate to give a short answer as to where they stand on each issue.

So I will stay tuned for this request!

In relation to Ned's earlier query (the one about whether I work for "the dark side"..) - I have acted on different sides of the fence in relation to domain names. In my experience, when trade mark owners are involved the action has been taken to prevent fairly blatant trade mark infringement.

 

[David Goldstein]

Hi Lemon,

For a few reasons I decided to withdraw my nomination. But will keep an eye on discussions here and seriously consider nominating next year. I'm still happy to answer Ned's questions he will post with that in mind.

Cheers
David

 

[neddy]

Hi Lemon,

For a few reasons I decided to withdraw my nomination. But will keep an eye on discussions here and seriously consider nominating next year. I'm still happy to answer Ned's questions he will post with that in mind.

Cheers
David

David, I've respected your contributions so far, and I thank you for participating.

I do hope you stay involved with our forum.

Cheers, Ned

 

[David Goldstein]

Hi Ned,

I have reasons for withdrawing, but I'm not going to discuss those here.

And Paul Levins was Executive Officer and Vice President, Corporate Affairs at ICANN and is currently President, Australia and New Zealand for Intellectual Ventures. And is now back living in Sydney.

Cheers
David

 

[Lemon]

Hi Lemon,

For a few reasons I decided to withdraw my nomination. But will keep an eye on discussions here and seriously consider nominating next year. I'm still happy to answer Ned's questions he will post with that in mind.

Cheers
David

Pity. I hope we didn't scare you off

 

[Lemon]

David.

I see you nominated Lisa Jarrett. Do you feel that she is a strong candidate?

lemon

 

[DomainNames]

Admin delete this if its not wanted.
_____________________________________________
http://www.auda.org.au/agm/agm2011-notice/
_______________________________

2011 AGM Director Nominations
Candidate Statements
Kevin Karp (Supply)
I have been a reseller and manager of .au domain names for over 15 years. I have
promoted the development of the Australian Internet and domain name industries
through my involvement with the Internet Society of Australia (Director and
Secretary for 6 years), through the commercial operations of my own firm (PPS
Internet) and with .edu.au, through our recent acquisition of Studentnet.
With the emergence of search and social networking as a means of accessing
content, .au now faces many new challenges and opportunities. My experience and
objective analytical skills will maximise those opportunities.

George Pongas (Supply)
Currently I hold the position as General Manager Client Services at AusRegistry. I
have decided to stand for a second term as an auDA Board Director (Supply Class),
believing that my 8 years industry experience and current position at the Registry
Operator, will continue to allow me to provide a valuable contribution to the board
and ultimately the .au industry.
I have a commercial sensibility, a strong sense of fairness, and extensive
experience both internationally and domestically, and these attributes will continue
to assist me positively in my role as an auDA Board Director.

Kartic Srinivasan (Supply)
I would like to bring my experience working in Domain name Community to
 Promote .au domain space by maintaining competition & growth of the namespace
 Preserve & improve the trust of the .au domain space
 Increase the stability of the .au DNS and registry infrastructure
 Co-ordinate with the supply side to ensure they are aware of major Board agenda
items and key decisions displayed on auDA website
 Ensure appropriate transparency on major items on expenditure to ensure public
return.
Experience:
 General Manager – Operations – GlobalPartnerSolutions
 Member of the Industry Competition Panel (2007)

Lisa Jarrett (Demand)
Lisa Jarrett is a Senior Associate at Kelly & Co. Lawyers in Adelaide, having
previously worked in IP/IT at Blake Dawson, Melbourne and Telstra. Lisa practices
in corporate and commercial law, focussing on intellectual property and technology
law.
Lisa was appointed to the 2010 Names Policy Panel and regularly advises a range of
clients on domain name issues, including brand protection. Lisa has a Masters of
Commercial Law and is a registered trade mark attorney.
Lisa understands the legal implications associated with domain name policy and
procedures and can offer the board a South Australian perspective on domain name
matters.

Simon Johnson (Demand)
As an independent candidate, I'm standing to represent auDA Members and the
general public. I have no association with ICANN, commercial interests in
registrars, or memberships to related associations. As such, I'll work in the public
interest, towards the following outcomes:
 Reduce regulation and grow the .au marketplace
 Decrease costs and red-tape for consumers and small business
 Ensure auDA funds are appropriately spent on transparent, demonstrable
outcomes
Bio: Co-founded one of Australia's first ISP's and Internet Security companies; held
Senior Management roles in Fraud and Risk. 2010/11 auDA Names Policy Panel. Co-
Founder DomainerIncome.com -

Erhan Karabardak (Demand)
Erhan Karabardak has been an active participant in the domain name industry for
over a decade. Erhan is well known as a leading technology and domain lawyer
with significant experience, advising clients in all aspects of domain name law
including litigation.
Erhan has served on both the 2004 and 2010 Names Policy Panels, in addition to
having made numerous submissions to other auDA Policy Panels.
Erhan brings significant experience and understanding of the .au domain name
space and its impact on small business, which will enable him to bring a fresh and
positive approach to the auDA Board.

Paul Levins (Demand)
I have a deep interest and experience in domain name issues and governance.
From 2006-2010, I was Executive Officer and VP at ICANN. I set up ICANN’s
Washington DC office and was a key architect and author of the Affirmation of
Commitments – a globally significant accountability and transparency agreement. I
was ICANN’s spokesperson on IPv6, new gTLDs, Internet Governance. I also have
an extensive understanding of government having been a Chief of Staff in Federal
and State ministries and understand business having been Operations and
Corporate Affairs Manager in major international infrastructure companies.

Joshua Rowe (Demand)
Domain names are essential parts of the Internet's functionality. Australian domain
names provide the platform for Australia's online economy; now worth 3.6% of
Australian GDP. Josh Rowe is a current director of auDA seeking re-election. Josh
has over 19 years experience with the Internet. Josh is an active participant in the
debate of Australian and global domain name governance, engaged through a
variety of online and offline forums. Josh participated in the 2010 Names Policy
Review Panel. Josh is a staunch consumer advocate and has completed research on
the usability of domain names; www.domainusability.com. Detailed candidate
statement here: www.josh.com.au

Rosemary Sinclair (Demand)
I am pleased to stand for re-election to the Board of auDA. The expertise I am keen
to contribute stems from my experience in high-level strategy and policy
development with government and private sector organisations in Australia and
internationally through ICANN, OECD and APECTEL. At present I am Chairing a
Committee for the Federal Government looking at regional telecommunications
services and the emerging digital economy. The role auDA will play in this
transformation will increase with the introduction of new gTLDs and I am keen to
continue to assist in these exciting developments.

 

[neddy]

Admin delete this if its not wanted.
_____________________________________________
http://www.auda.org.au/agm/agm2011-notice/
_______________________________

I have already posted the same link, but didn't expand on the bio's. So more than happy to leave it in. Thanks DN.

 

[David Goldstein]

Lemon: I supported Lisa because I think that yes, she is a strong candidate, and I thought could contribute to auDA as a board member and that I thought she deserved the opportunity to run

Ned and Lemon: I'll continue to follow the issues and comment if I think it's appropriate. While I would like to think I would nominate in 12 months, we will see what happens when it gets closer to the time. It will also give me some time to follow some of the issues that are pertinent to domainers in Australia. Whether it changes my views on anything, we will see! Who knows, maybe I can bring some people around to the benefits of the policy issues I have supported on the Names Policy Panels I have been on and discussed here!

 

[neddy]

It will also give me some time to follow some of the issues that are pertinent to domainers in Australia. Whether it changes my views on anything, we will see! Who knows, maybe I can bring some people around to the benefits of the policy issues I have supported on the Names Policy Panels I have been on and discussed here!

Where there is life, there is hope!

 

[neddy]

Paul Levins - auDA Board Candidate

Until the "official" announcement of auDA candidates today, I wasn't aware there was another candidate in the field.

But there is, and his name is Paul Levins. As per his Bio, he has an extensive background in the domain name industry.

I managed to make contact with Paul by phone this afternoon, and I have also invited him to introduce himself on here so that we can understand his position on various issues.

 

[ScottNugent]

Fantastic

 

[Cooper Mills DomainLawyer]

no real surprises with the announced list of candidates....

 

[Simon Johnson]

Hi Everyone,

I have posted a very detailed Candidate Statement on my blog at http://www.simonjohnson.co/auda/candidate-statement-2011-auda-board-election/

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Have a great weekend!

Simon

 

[neddy]

Hi Everyone,

I have posted a very detailed Candidate Statement on my blog

Hi Simon - given that other candidates have posted their views on this thread, I have reprinted your candidate statement verbatim below.

It is fairer and easier for everyone if we confine all questions and answers in one place imho.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Candidate Statement – 2011 auDA Board Election

by Simon Johnson on September 17, 2011

New auDA members have asked me to publish a detailed candidate statement, informing them of where I stand on a variety of issues.

If I had to summarise it, I’d say that I’ll work in the public interest and constructively with the Board, towards the following outcomes:

• Reduce regulation and grow the .au marketplace
• Decrease costs and red-tape for consumers and small business
• Ensure auDA funds are appropriately spent on transparent, demonstrable outcomes

Here is a detailed explanation of where I stand on the following issues:

1. Domain Name Registration Costs

In comparison to the rest of the world, the price for an Australian .au domain name is far too high. I’d like to bring costs down, to ensure that small businesses have an incentive to choose Australian over other TLD’s.

Right now, it’s easier and more economical for an Australian company to go offshore. In fact, many small businesses that I have spoken to, say its “all to hard” to register a .com.au and they don’t want the grief of wading through auDA policy to see what they can/cant do.

2. Domain Name Transfer Costs

Australia charges people a FEE to transfer their domain name. You would be hard pressed to find any other country on the planet that does this.

In Australia, this transfer fee is known as a COR (Change of Registrant). I believe that the COR is unnecessary and is simply “revenue raising”. Given the high level of automation between registrars and the registry, the COR should be abolished.

3. Domain Monetisation

I’m very concerned that auDA Policy seeks to and/or has the effect of imposing content regulations on domain name registrants. This is undesirable and outside the scope of auDA’s mandate. As a Member of 2010 Names Policy Panel I co-authored a submission to auDA on this issue. You can read the details from page 20 in the http://www.auda.org.au/pdf/2010npp-final-report.pdf.

The bottom line is that auDA Policy restrictions in relation to monetisation are antiquated, flawed and should be eliminated. Here is just one example, auDA Domain Monetisation policy states:

a) “domain monetisation” means registering a domain name in order to earn revenue from a monetised website;

b) “monetised website” means a website or landing page that has been created for the purpose of earning revenue from advertising, including monetised domain parking pages;

Under this definition, I believe that newspapers, are monetised websites! After all, they write content and earn revenue from advertising. As you can see, domain monetisation is a legitimate business model, its just that some people negatively associate it with cybersquatting, which is clearly not the case!

4. Free Market

I believe in a free market. As long as you don’t break the law (eg: register domains containing trademarks) you should be able to register the domain name of your choice.

5. Reserve List

I believe that the Australian Government (both Federal and State) should be able to protect specific names. In fact, I endorsed the auDA Reserve List in the 2010 Names Policy Panel.

6. Trademark Domains and Cybersquatting

I have never supported the registration of domain names in bad faith. Many domain investors know that I’ve been quite vocal within the domain investment industry, condemning the small minority of people that engage in this unethical practice.

For those that don’t know, there are existing, effective measures that the public can take with regard to “bad faith” registrations. They are:

a) UDRP
b) Trademark laws

Given this situation, there is really no reason to have domain monetisation policy (regardless of the document that its put into), as it can have the consequence of restricting ecommerce. Given that the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Econony is pursuing the National Broadband Network (NBN), it needs to have a good hard look at the affect of auDA Policy in this area.

7. Privacy

I believe that Australians should be able to take reasonable steps to protect their identity. A whois privacy service is provided by Registrars in almost all other countries, but not in Australia.

There is no credible reason not to protect consumers. In the event auDA wanted to find out the owner of the domain (for operational reasons), they could request the information from the Registrar or the Registry.

8. ICANN New TLDs

I do not support the introduction of new TLD’s. eg: .anything

• It appears to have the affect of forcing business to pay for additional domain names, in order to defend their trademarks. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) in the USA also has similar views.
• It’s cost prohibitive for small business to become a registrar. eg: ICANN $185k non refundable fee – just to start.
• There is a real, tangible threat to the .au namespace. What if someone was to register .aus or .aussie as a new TLD? It may confuse the general public.

9. CGDNs (Community Geographic Domain Name)

I support encouraging small business and the community to get online. CGDNs are an interesting concept, but they are unnecessary. The same result could have been delivered in .org.au.

Back in 2010, when they were reviewed, I submitted this statement, encouraging auDA to give serious consideration to closing it down.

The question still remains, how much time money as auDA spent on this initiative?

10. Direct Registrations In .au

A few people have proposed registering your-name.au. I not support direct registrations as they could lead to confusion in the marketplace.

11. auDA Foundation

I support many charities and do volunteer work, so the intent of a foundation, goes to the heart of what I believe in. Having said that, is it right that Australians are taxed (get charged a fee by auDA) every time they register a domain name, and some of that money goes to the auDA foundation? As members, do you recall auDA ever asking you how to spend this money?

It appears to me that the auDA Foundation is well outside the auDA charter set by the Australian government. Money would be better spent helping small business get online and reducing the barriers to entry into the .com.au namespace.

12. auDA Review

I support an independent body to review the decisions made by auDA. Of particular note are the decisions that auDA makes in relation to placing names into Pending Delete. This process “takes away” the domain name from registrants as a result from a breach of auDA policy.

It’s no secret that over the years I’ve been quite active in questioning various decisions made by auDA. You can find a few questions and answers regarding auDA Travel and auDA Membership, in the 2010 auDA Board minutes.

13. Associations

I’m standing to represent auDA Members and the general public. I have no association with ICANN, commercial interests in registrars, or memberships to related associations.

The fact of the matter is that there are no other candidates that are full-time domain name investors (people that actually “do it” for a living).

14. Changing the auDA Constitution

At the 2011 AGM, auDA is proposing to change the constitution. The voting form shows you three boxes (packages) to tick:

PACKAGE 1: Introduction of “Life Member” class of members
PACKAGE 2: Streamlining removal of members for non-payment
PACKAGE 3: Housekeeping and clarifying amendments

I encourage you to VOTE AGAINST all of these measures.

15. Voting

Download this form and post or fax it in. I would encourage you to nominate me as your Proxy. When you vote, let me know!

If you have any further questions please get in contact.