[Linux-aus] Are you interested in being an Australian Internet Governance Forum Ambassador?

[Glen Turner]

On 21/05/2013, at 10:17 AM, Brianna Laugher wrote:
>  auDA is a "industry self-regulatory body" and has been recognised by the government but is not the government per-se. Its budget ( http://www.auda.org.au/about/budget/ ) doesn't appear to show any government income.

The Commonwealth holds the "post and telegraph" power and this makes it the ultimate arbiter of telecommunications naming and numbering within the Commonwealth's jurisdiction. AuDA is currently the government's nominee, as per
<http://www.auda.org.au/pdf/auda-govt-endorse.pdf>

AuDA doesn't need explicit government income --  it has been granted a monopoly over a Commonwealth resource of considerable value and thus can levy taxes itself.

The Internet Governance Forum is a UN programme to follow on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Funding by DNS administrators is somewhat new, and already seems to be hijacking the agenda somewhat.

I suggest a practical approach. Are you willing to give AuDA what they want (guessing, but I'd say they are seeking a recommendation from the meeting for the further auctioning of cc2LDs)? And if so, what do you want them to put on the IGF agenda -- for example, a statement endorsing New Zealand's recent abandonment of software patents could be worthwhile.  For their own ends they are giving you a podium and suggesting a message, so use the podium for the message you want to send.

-glen