TICK TOCK, auda votes close this Thursday

[findtim]

Proxy forms must be lodged by 5pm AEDST on Thursday 24 November 2016.
Forms must be emailed to the auDA Company Secretary at di.parker@auda.org.au.

Please note the following:
 Late or otherwise invalid proxy forms will not be accepted.
 Signatures must be hand signed (i.e. typed names as signatures will not be accepted.)
-----------
tim

 

[Bacon Farmer]

So if we want you to vote on all the issues and vote for 2 new candidates we only;
1. hand sign it, write our name and date it on page 2,
2. scan it, and
3. send it to di.parker@auda.org.au

 

[findtim]

yes, tick which boxes you want "for / against" , then ignore SUPPLY, then tick 1 or 2 boxes in demand, sign,scan,email to DI

tim

 

[DomainNames]

Who do we vote for?

 

[findtim]

LOL, tim connell and shane moore

tim

 

[DomainNames]

LOL, tim connell and shane moore

tim

Are you both against another competing .au extension? It seems a few other candidates are actively against this now also in the media and on their emails and requests for proxy votes.

Have you got the information how it can be actually stopped now from auDA and what is required to do this from corporations law, auDA constitutaion, policy, board rules etc, There woulld be no use getting votes only to find out you cant do anything about it if you do get on the board is there?

Strange to some most candidates post nothing anywhere except a standard CV job description. Maybe they have their votes already and do not need anymore... lots of new members signed up this year very few people know here but they seem to be linked to a few candidates with some basic google searching.

I hear auDA is very concerned some people have been Supply and Demand stacking since February for this AGM, board opportunities and other reasons.... maybe tickets to Icann junkets etc.

 

[findtim]

you can read shanes statement on dnt,
i'm against it and without speaking for shane i think you will read he is as well.

It seems a few other candidates are actively against this now also in the media and on their emails and requests for proxy votes.

i think recent communications i have had with various members and dnt being outspoken has made a big difference, i have been getting very positive responses to my statements.

There woulld be no use getting votes..........

thats a defeatist statement, my position I will be doing all I can, It also depends on who else gets elected, where the chairman stands and most importantly i feel is setting the correct brief for the next panel, making sure its not "hog tailed" . we have already made major ground since it was announced and i think we are in a good position to get the truth which is "do people really want it"

most candidates post nothing

that has surprised me also

stacking

very difficult to prove, i've gone through my stats on mail-outs and i can not see any pattern.
( stats are just stats, read many ways)

i don't think icann junkets is the goal for being on the board
tim

 

[DomainNames]

you can read shanes statement on dnt,
i'm against it and without speaking for shane i think you will read he is as well.

i think recent communications i have had with various members and dnt being outspoken has made a big difference, i have been getting very positive responses to my statements.

thats a defeatist statement, my position I will be doing all I can, It also depends on who else gets elected, where the chairman stands and most importantly i feel is setting the correct brief for the next panel, making sure its not "hog tailed" . we have already made major ground since it was announced and i think we are in a good position to get the truth which is "do people really want it"

that has surprised me also

very difficult to prove, i've gone through my stats on mail-outs and i can not see any pattern.
( stats are just stats, read many ways)

i don't think icann junkets is the goal for being on the board
tim

Is the proposed .au extension able to be stopped and how? What advice have your sought?

Google search the auDA members names and see the links to entities

Some have enjoyed the junkets immensely and want to attend again FREE....having "auDA Board member" on their CV / Linkedin profile, Icann application is very important to them for their other activities.

 

[findtim]

I have spoken to a few ( as there are only a few) people in the know and the .au could be stopped by public demand, the important thing right now is to be on the board so we can influence those decisions ( i keep repeating myself ! )

Google search the auDA members..........

pointless, "jim bob" that works at MIT is allowed to be a demand class member etc, its not going to change with this election, what could change is an increase in membership which makes stacking impossible for the future.

junkets: bigger fish to fry right now
tim

 

[snoopy]

I suspect there is several ways that .au could be stopped,

-Vote seen as illegal based on legal advice. You can be certain AUDA have had legal advice on that and should be stating what their lawyers have said about the vote.
-Simply have another vote to quash .au. (that could be done regardless of the legality of the vote)
-Court action against AUDA based on potential illegal nature of vote (Probably would need a large company or big group to take this on)

The whole idea that .au is "done and dusted" is a supply side argument to try and push .au through. They want people to believe that but it is a long way from reality.

 

[snoopy]

I hear auDA is very concerned some people have been Supply and Demand stacking since February for this AGM, board opportunities and other reasons.... maybe tickets to Icann junkets etc.

AUDA membership system is broken, I very much doubt they will be able to salvage the model they have at the moment.

The membership base voting is too small and the idea of having director who represent a supply side company but then "act in the best interests of auDA as a whole and with due regard to the furtherance of auDA's objectives." That is complete nonsense. You cannot represent two competing interests at the same time.

 

[Shane]

Are you both against another competing .au extension? It seems a few other candidates are actively against this now also in the media and on their emails and requests for proxy votes.

Against. My stance hasn't changed since May when I announced I'd be running.

Have you got the information how it can be actually stopped now from auDA and what is required to do this from corporations law, auDA constitutaion, policy, board rules etc,

No director can walk in and single-handedly stop direct registrations. It's just not going to happen. Remember that it wasn't just a board decision - it was the Names Policy Panel report that recommended direct registrations, and the board simply voted to accept the recommendation.

I agree with all points of Snoopy's post, and add the following:

1. There's no doubt auDA would've already sought legal advice on the legality of the vote. The minutes from this year make it quite clear they've been seeking advice on various issues.
2. Another vote could be taken if the board could be convinced that the original decision was based on information that didn't truly reflect the feelings of all domain owners. I don't think it would be easy, but I do think it's possible, especially with two voices on the board.
3. Court action... This is possible, but you'll never know the potential outcome until you start spending money on lawyers, which as Snoopy said, will require serious financial support.

Further on the legal action point, I refer to this case regarding heritage number plates, which certainly has some similarities to direct registrations.

The Victorian state government attempted to release a new series of number plates that were very similar to the existing heritage plates. These plates are worth anywhere from around $10k to $1 million depending on the number.

A group of ultra-wealthy plate owners came together to fight the state government in the Federal Court, on the basis that the new series of plates were very similar to their plates, could cause confusion and would reduce the value of their plates.

Sound familiar...?

Could something similar work for direct registrations? I'm not a lawyer and have absolutely no idea! But that's not something that can be initiated as a director. Domain owners would need to dig into their own pockets and pool together a hundred grand or so...

There would be no use getting votes only to find out you cant do anything about it if you do get on the board is there?

What do you suggest we do then? If the decision cannot be overturned by a single director (or even two directors) we just give up and don't bother trying?

I hear auDA is very concerned some people have been Supply and Demand stacking since February for this AGM, board opportunities and other reasons.... maybe tickets to Icann junkets etc.

I think that's true for some, but for me this is not about my CV or junkets. I'm happily running my own company and don't need anything else on my CV. As for junkets, thanks to my business I can pay for my own overseas trips if I feel the need. I'm pretty happy where I am.

 

[findtim]

i agree with everything shane says, well put.

No director can walk in and single-handedly stop direct registrations.

thats why you at least need both of us in there, i said at the start this election will not change the world but as shane says

just give up and don't bother trying?

, thats how they wants us !

there are another 2 demand class directors, what are they doing? I'll call them to task on these subjects so put your hand up for next years election.

tim

 

[snoopy]

A group of ultra-wealthy plate owners came together to fight the state government in the Federal Court, on the basis that the new series of plates were very similar to their plates, could cause confusion and would reduce the value of their plates.

Sound familiar...?

Could something similar work for direct registrations? I'm not a lawyer and have absolutely no idea! But that's not something that can be initiated as a director. Domain owners would need to dig into their own pockets and pool together a hundred grand or so...

One thing I wonder about is large corporations. I'm just guessing but I'd think most would be against the proposal, bringing in .au is going cost them a lot of money in defensive registrations and legal fees. Will they take that lying down especially given there is a clear argument in court to dispute the vote?

 

[DomainNames]

3 million existing Australian .com.au registrants, plus a lot of major corporations would be a very strong group for a class action lawsuit.. probably one of the biggest in Australian history and possibly with a lot of government MP's also in support. Most use their own names as .com.au's!

This class action lawsuit would perhaps highlight the need for both auDA and Ausregistry / Neustar Inc USA to have to also tender again if they want to be considered for the next round of contracts, put a spotlight on membership, surveys, "yes only vote rigging", conflicts of interest etc...The list goes on!

http://www.litigationlending.com.au/about-us.html

 

[eBranding.com.au]

One thing I wonder about is large corporations. I'm just guessing but I'd think most would be against the proposal, bringing in .au is going cost them a lot of money in defensive registrations and legal fees. Will they take that lying down especially given there is a clear argument in court to dispute the vote?

Two good examples of big companies opposed to direct registrations are REA Group (i.e. realestate.com.au) and CarSales.com. Their submissions on this are available here:
https://www.auda.org.au/policies/panels-and-committees/2015-names-policy-panel/

 

[DomainNames]

Two good examples of big companies opposed to direct registrations are REA Group (i.e. realestate.com.au) and CarSales.com. Their submissions on this are available here:
https://www.auda.org.au/policies/panels-and-committees/2015-names-policy-panel/

What have Realestate.com.au and Carsales.com.au done since that to oppose it? Both their submissions had solid grounds.

I wonder if they know about the "Yes Only Survey stacking" auDA knows happened from an auDA board member and their related entities?

In my opinion and i am sure i am not alone that auDA board member's actions ( and their associated entities, staff etc) seem to be a blatant conflict of interest for financial gain. The materials they sent out also seems to be highly misleading

 

[findtim]

OMG would/should be not happy about this
tim

 

[DomainNames]

OMG would/should be not happy about this
tim

You mean Fairfax? Do they even know about it or did they make any submissions?

It is not just about people with a lot of names it is about every existing name owner and the $billions which have been spent globally to build the reputation of .com.au.

Many people globally may think .au is for Austria... when dealing with new extensions it takes massive money to market and promote it or it fails and is lost in the existing 3000 extensions "supply" has pushed for their own financial gains only. There is NO demand for 3000 domain name extensions and most fail.. but "supply" keeps coming up with new ones!

Does auDA really want to spend millions more doing this to compete against what's has already been spent and done?

Flowers.au AUSTRIA

http://www.registry.neustar/?_ga=1.228230109.1563421078.1479782776#
Domain Name Pricing
Generic Domains (gTLDs) 1 Year 2 Years 5 Years 10 Years
.asia $84.99 $169.99 $284.99 $540.00
.com, .org $79.00 $158.00 $237.00 $474.95
.net $81.00 $162.00 $243.00 $479.95
.info, .biz $79.00 $158.00 $237.00 $474.95
.mobi $102.50 $205.00 $514.00 $1,029.00
.name $70.95 $141.00 $351.50 $702.00
.travel $295.00 $590.00 $1,325.00 $2,360.00
.xxx $160.00 $316.80 $760.00 $1,441.00
International Domains (ccTLDs) Region 1 Year 2 Years 5 Years 10 Years
.asn.au Australia
$140.00

.at Austria $380.00


.be Belgium $435.00


.ca Canada $215.00 $408.99 $968.00 $1,827.99
.cc Cocos Islands $270.00 $512.99 $1,214.99
.ch Switzerland $435.00


.co Colombia $88.00 $171.60 $385.00
.co.at Austria $435.00


.co.il Israel
$545.00

.co.nz, .net.nz, .org.nz, .ac.nz, .geek.nz, .gen.nz, .maori.nz. .school.nz New Zealand $110.00 $220.00 $459.99 $864.99
.co.uk United Kingdom
$195.00

.co.za South Africa $490.00


.com.au, .net.au Australia
$153.98

.com.co, .net.co, .nom.co Colombia $70.40 $136.40 $297.00
.com.es Spain $545.00


.com.fj Fiji $545.00 $1,035.99 $2,453.00 $4,632.99
.com.sg Singapore $435.00 $826.99

.com.tw Taiwan $490.00 $930.99 $2,204.99 $4,164.99
.de Germany $215.00


.eu Europe $78.65


.hk, .com.hk Hong Kong $270.00 $512.99 $1,214.99
.id.au Australia
$44.00

.it Italy $435.00


.jp Japan $435.00


.la Laos $435.00 $826.99 $1,958.00 $3,697.99
.nl Netherlands $435.00


.nz New Zealand $70.00 $140.00 $262.50 $420.00
.org.au Australia
$48.00

.ph, .com.ph Philippines
$490.00

.to Tonga $325.00


.tv Tuvalu $270.00 $512.99 $1,214.99 $2,294.99
.us United States $76.20 $151.80 $228.50 $456.10
.ws Samoa $325.00 $617.99 $1,463.00 $2,762.99
Prices are for new domain name registrations and renewals. .au registrations have a minimum 2 years registration period.

Renewal Information: An additional reactivation fee of $11.00 may apply to the renewal if the domain name is renewed after it has expired.

A redemption fee of $310.00 may be applicable for the following spaces: .com, .net, .org, .biz and .us.

 

[DomainNames]

auDA board member Melbourne IT pricing is in some cases more than 1000% higher than other registrars!

I am not sure if they have ever really have the best interests of registrants or auDA Demand members at heart!

Just some examples
.com.au / .net.au Australia $153.98
.ph, .com.ph Philippines $490.00
.com $79.00
.co.uk United Kingdom $195.00
.co.nz New Zealand $110
.com.sg Singapore $435.00 ( about 800% higher than others)