auDA is endorsed by the Australian Government to administer the .au domain for the benefit of all Australians. The Government provides its endorsement via formal Terms of Endorsement that outline auDA’s core functions and the core principles that guide our work.
Our core functions are to:
- Ensure stable, secure and reliable operation of the .au domain, which is part of Australia’s suite of critical infrastructure
- Administer a licensing regime for .au domain names based on multi-stakeholder processes that are transparent, responsive, accountable, accessible and efficient
- Advocate for and actively participate in multi-stakeholder internet governance processes domestically and internationally.
In addition to our endorsement from Government, auDA operates under a sponsorship agreement from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) – the international body responsible for coordinating the internet’s naming and numbering systems.