Since 1920 in Australia, 25 April has marked the commemoration of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 1915, and is known as ANZAC Day. On this day, we reflect on the service and sacrifices made by soldiers for our country.
To ensure the ANZAC name is respected, Australian federal law protects the use of the term “ANZAC” under the Protection of Word “Anzac” Act 1920 (Cth) and The Protection of Word 'Anzac' Regulations 1921 (Cth). These prohibit the use of ANZAC, and words resembling it, for any official or corporate use without express permission from the federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.
Reserved names in the .au
Under the .au Licensing Rules (Rules), "reserved names” are domain names that can only be registered in certain circumstances. The aim of these rules is to help preserve the integrity and trust of the .au domain and, in this instance, the term ANZAC.
The Rules prohibit the registration of certain words or phrases for a number of reasons, including if they are restricted under Australian law.
A person or organisation, however, can apply to register a reserved name that is prohibited by an Australian law if they:
- Are a statutory authority for whom the name has been restricted for their use
- Have Ministerial consent to use the name and have provided a copy of that consent to auDA, or
- Are not captured by the relevant prohibition.
Safeguarding the term ANZAC
Safeguarding the term "ANZAC" within the .au domain ensures its significance is retained. It also prevents the potential for scams, fraudulent websites or sites carrying misinformation related to ANZACs that could negatively impact public understanding of the ANZAC legacy.
Those wishing to register a .au domain name with the term ANZAC are required have a valid permit approved by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs or their delegate. If you are interested to do so, you can apply for approval to use the word “ANZAC” at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website.
auDA is pleased to protect the integrity of the term ANZAC within the .au domain, and in doing so, uphold trust in the .au. Reserved names are a key tool in maintaining security and protecting internet users and, in the case of ANZAC, respecting the sacrifices of those who fought for us and whose legacy we uphold.
Read more about reserved names, including why “Olympics” is on the reserved names list, on the .au blog.
