24 November, 2021

 

auDA welcomes updated Terms of Endorsement released by the Commonwealth Government. The updated Terms support auDA in its effective administration of .au, which provides a strong underpinning for Australia’s digital economy and society. 

The final Terms of Endorsement follow a review by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to ensure the Terms remain fit-for-purpose. The review included six weeks of public consultation to gather feedback from the multi-stakeholder Internet community. 

auDA CEO Rosemary Sinclair AM, said, “We welcome the revised Terms of Endorsement from Government, which highlight and support auDA’s unique role as stewards of Australia’s critical Internet infrastructure. The updated Terms reflect our ongoing commitment to multi-stakeholder Internet governance, and enable us to continue our work administering a trusted .au for the benefit of all Australians and championing an open, free, secure and global Internet.”

The new Terms of Endorsement provide updated core functions to guide auDA in the administration of .au:

  • Ensure stable, secure and reliable operation of the .au domain, as part of Australia’s suite of critical infrastructure
  • Administer a licensing regime for .au domain names based in multi-stakeholder processes that is transparent, responsive, accountable, accessible and efficient
  • Advocate for, and actively participate in, multi-stakeholder Internet governance processes both domestically and internationally.

These functions are supported by underlying core principles, which have also been updated and include:

  • Engaging with the Australian Government 
  • Supporting trust and confidence in .au
  • Promoting principles of competition, fair trading and consumer protection
  • Supporting fair and transparent multi-stakeholder engagement
  • Supporting a membership structure that reflects the diversity of the Australian community
  • Maintaining effective governance processes that are transparent, accountable, support effective decision-making and promote the interests of the Australian community.

ENDS

Note:

The updated Terms of Endorsement, report of the review and public submissions are available at: Domain names | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, Australian Government

Information on the Terms of Endorsement is also available on the auDA website here