1. BACKGROUND
1.1 This document clarifies clause 14.1.7 of the Registrar Agreement (Approved Version 1.0: 9 November 2001).
1.2 Clause 14.1.7 of the Registrar Agreement reads as follows: "[The Registrar must] accurately represent to the Registrants, the media, any governmental entity and the general public, the Published Policies and the Registrar's relationship with and status in the domain name infrastructure relative to the Registry Operator and auDA".
2. MEANING OF CLAUSE 14.1.7
2.1 It has come to auDA's attention that some registrars are producing their own explanatory material about the new regulatory regime and changes to domain name policy rules. Whilst auDA expects that registrars will provide advice and assistance to their customers, especially during the transition to the new regime, registrars must ensure that the material they produce accurately represents the new regime.
2.2 Therefore, auDA has issued this document to clarify that clause 14.1.7 requires that all registrars who provide explanatory material to their customers about the .au domain regulatory regime and policy rules, must ensure that the material:
a) clearly identifies auDA as the regulatory body and policy authority for the .au domain;
b) clearly identifies the relevant auDA Published Policy (or Policies) as the authoritative source of the registrar's explanatory material; and
c) provides a direct link or URL reference to the relevant auDA Published Policy.
2.3 Paragraph 2.2 applies regardless of the format (eg. web page, email, hard copy) in which the registrar produces the explanatory material.
2.4 Registrars must ensure that any of their resellers who provide explanatory material to their customers about the .au domain regulatory regime and policy rules, also comply with the requirements in paragraph 2.2.
