Australian domain policy faces radical shakeup

March 2005

The .au domain administration body (auDA) plans to sell previously-prohibited geographically-based domain names, as well as implement a host of other significant changes.

Speaking at a special presentation to the Internet Society of Australia last night, auDA chief executive officer Chris Disspain said his organisation will allow the registration of geographically-based domain names such as wollongong.com.au or wollongong.net.au. "auDA will publish a list of all the names available," said Disspain. In 30 days, the new domain regime will become official auDA policy, he added.

The domains will be sold in bundles and can be grouped under a parent name. For instance, williamstownnorth.com.au, can be bundled with williamstown-north.com.au and other variants. Each bundle will cost a special AU$500 one-off fee in addition to the regular fee, said Disspain. Those keen to register a certain name will "still need to have a close and substantial connection to that name," as is currently required in the .com.au and .net.au domain spaces, he added.

The sale of geographic name bundles will also differ from the normal sale of domain names in that once an application has been made for a bundle, domain name registrars will place all applications into a pool to close on a certain day. Each winner will be drawn at random in a computer-based process. This will differ from the auction format used for generic names in which, according to Disspain, "big business won every time".