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From the auDA Chair – Building auDA 2.0

By CHRIS LEPTOS | 21 August 2018

For those of you following the review of auDA – the company managing our Internet domain names. auDA’s Chair, Chris Leptos, has released the following statement.

“Dear Members and Stakeholders

It is now 130 days since the Minister for Communications and the Arts (Senator Mitch Fifield) wrote to auDA outlining the 29 recommendations of the review into the .au namespace (the Review). In this time we have published auDA’s Implementation Plan, which details the steps we are taking to meet the new ‘Terms of Endorsement’, in addition to conducting an extensive consultative process through the Consultation Model Working Group (CMWG) on the proposed governance framework and membership model.

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The Innovation Economy – Implications and imperatives for states and regions

By NEVILLE STEVENS | 20 August 2018

Earlier this year the NSW Innovation and Productivity Council commissioned a report on the ‘innovation economy’ by The Business of Cities advisory group – to provide a contemporary picture of the innovation economy, to understand the current trends, learn from leading innovation regions and guide the Council’s forward work program.

The innovation economy describes what happens when new generations of technologies and business models emerge at unprecedented speeds and scales to disrupt existing sectors, create new products and processes, and foster advanced and high-growth industries.

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Trust is key when driving community change

By KYLIE COCHRANE | 15 August 2018

The Coles plastic bag bungle has a lot to teach us about the importance of community engagement, including how to get it right and the costs of getting it wrong.

We can assume the supermarket chain had good intentions when they started charging for plastic bags, but from the outside it looked as if they were approaching the issue as just a public relations exercise. Surprised by the customer backlash, the company reacted to the reaction and dropped the charge. Then, in the face of broader public criticism, they announced they would reimpose it after all.

Continue reading “Trust is key when driving community change”

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Australia draws line under anti-China hysteria. Will it be enough to unfreeze relations?

By BOB CARR | 13 August 2018

This week Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reset the Australia-China relationship – ditching 12 months in which Australia had become the most rhetorically adversarial towards China of all of the United States’ allies and partners.

Turnbull was always going to do it. It was a matter of language and timing. Fears his government has allowed to spread about Chinese money in Australia’s democracy and China’s growing influence in the region had little substance, and have done Australia more harm than good.

Continue reading “Australia draws line under anti-China hysteria. Will it be enough to unfreeze relations?”

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Tanya Plibersek’s letter Fairfax refused to publish 

By TANYA PLIBERSEK | 7 August 2018

I understand Ross Gittins’ frustration at the continuing debate over school funding. But Labor will continue to fight against Malcolm Turnbull’s school cuts because many of the things that will help our school kids improve – such as more individual attention and excellent teaching – all cost money.  If you care about our school kids doing better, you have to care about school funding. Continue reading “Tanya Plibersek’s letter Fairfax refused to publish “

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To have and to hold – The latest on auDA reform

By LAURIE PATTON | 7 August 2018

One of the many issues discussed last night at auDA‘s Membership Considerations Workshop was the appropriateness of people “hoarding” Internet domain names. For anyone unfamiliar with this practice, there are investors who buy what they believe are noteworthy domain names in the hope they can re-sell them later at a profit. They call themselves “domainers”.

At the heart of a debate over how the allocation of domain names should be managed is the influence the domainers have traditionally exercised, and clearly wish to continue to exercise. Continue reading “To have and to hold – The latest on auDA reform”

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Decentralisation is a solution to population growth

By LAURIE PATTON | 6 August 2018

As Christopher Pyne recently pointed out, Australia has roughly the same land mass as the United States yet a fraction of the population. Despite accommodating 300-plus million people only a handful of American cities are anywhere near the size of Sydney or Melbourne.

Government agencies all argue immigration creates economic growth. So it’s not about how many of us there are, it’s about where we all live.

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It’s not about the size of the population, it’s about where we’re all going to live

By LAURIE PATTON | 29 July 2018

Another week, another newspaper devotes thousands of words to the vexed question of population growth. The conclusion, once again, is that we need a more rational discussion – and, above all, a plan.

Sadly, some people are using the size of our population and its growth to justify campaigns that are simply racist and uncalled-for in this country.

The way I see it, we keep asking the wrong question. It’s not about how many people live here, or where they come from. It’s about where we’ll all live in the years ahead.

Continue reading “It’s not about the size of the population, it’s about where we’re all going to live”

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Sticks and stones – Attempted coup at auDA flounders on disinterest

By LAURIE PATTON | 28 Jul 2018

The proposition that there’s widespread member concern at the state of auDA – the company managing our Internet domain names – has been dealt a definitive blow.

Firstly, the vote at a Special General Meeting to decide the fate of three directors, including independent chair Chris Leptos, saw them retain their positions. Secondly, voter turnout was extremely low, suggesting most members are at least satisfied that long needed reform is progressing. Thirdly, the disruptive behaviour of a dissident group, appropriately known as the Grumpies, reinforced the view that they and their cause have no merit. Continue reading “Sticks and stones – Attempted coup at auDA flounders on disinterest”