Australian Domains: Deregulation is Good

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=268666

Quote:  "There are market forces out there that are looking always to cash in on a .au and actually make it more like real estate where it can be traded openly... That will create a lot more cyber-squatting. It will destroy the credibility of .au, and the integrity of .au."

Summary:  It's a pity that Theo Hnarakis would say in-accurate things that weaken his Country's namespace in order to benefit his company. Deregulation will help the Australian name-space to thrive.  Many domain names in every name-space have nothing to do with "famous brands" or "trademarks" .. Often they are generic descriptive words, phrases and identifiers which should be available to anyone on a first-come first serve basis without challenge. I am all for protecting legitimate famous trademarks for the benefit of those who have built exclusive value within their brand, but I do not support giving covetous, over-reaching latecomers the opportunity rewrite history by inequitably unseating entrepreneurs from generic domain names.

Australia is a country of entrepreneurs. It's progressive citizens created the Torrens System of land title ownership (which today has been adopted world-wide). It's sad that Mr. Hnarakis (the chief of MelbourneIT) would try to work against a process which would ultimately help his Country's name-space to thrive for all its citizenry by making it more open, available and globally relevant.

Comments

[alex]

hey frank,

i'm sure you already knew about this, but i figured i'd give you the heads up if you didnt. suv.net is up for auction at dropclub. thanks for the tip about buydomains.com, i scooped up some AMAZING traffic domains for very low coin. I never considered them before because i figured they were all for end users. cha-ching!

alex

***FS*** Glad i could help.. (Said with Chagrin)

[dave]

Yes, not a surprise that MelbourneIT would favour keeping tight regulation.

After all their monopoly til 2002 meant they raked in cash with domain name registrations.

Even now they are selling domain names for $144 when the range across other registrars is from $27 to about $45

The last think they would want is to lose their renewals and new regos due to clients considering aftermarket domains instead.

[Lea de Groot]

I think you would be surprised by how little is left in the .au space. The space has been open for 'monetisation' for .au businesses for some time now.

From the Melbourne IT side, the statement you show is at curious counterpoint to what they said to a recent review
http://www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/55838/Melbourne_IT.pdf
"Rather than opening up registrations at the top level, auDA should give consideration to make it easier to trade domains in the existing second levels." Odd. One wonders if the left knows what the right hand is doing :)

(PS. I think we already are thriving. Can you stay out of my pond, please, mate? ;))

***FS*** Fair fair.

[David]

As a domainer in Australia we are constantly working to help educate the auDA (www.auda.org.au) in domain monetization and a recent survey has some interesting results re: can we sell .com.au domains and to also open up the .au (www.hotels.au) domain extension is currently under debate. 18/May/2007

auDA's 2007 Names Policy Panel is currently reviewing the policy framework for .au domain names, including:

* whether .au should be opened up to direct registrations (eg. domainname.au)
* whether the policy rules for domain names should be changed
* whether registrants should be allowed to sell their .au domain names.

Australia has well guarded the .com.au space which it has needed to do however times are changing and they (auDA) are trying to listen and adapt. They still have some ways to go!!