19 October 2017
The Turnbull Government has announced a review of the management of the .au domain to ensure it remains fit for purpose in serving the needs of Australians online.
The .au domain is an intrinsic part of the identity of many Australian businesses and organisations operating on the internet. Consumers visiting .au sites know they are Australian and are protected under Australian consumer laws.
The not-for-profit .au Domain Administration (auDA) oversees the operation and management framework of the .au domain which was last considered 16 years ago. In that time, the digital landscape has changed significantly as the economy increasingly revolves around the internet.
The review will be undertaken by the Department of Communications and the Arts and will examine the most appropriate framework for the domain.
The review will also identify risk and mitigation strategies for the security and stability of the .au domain.
The Government is committed to working closely with stakeholders on Australia’s internet governance. The Department will shortly release a discussion paper seeking input from interested industry and community stakeholders.
The Government expects the review to be finalised by early 2018.
The terms of reference for the review are available at: www.communications.gov.au/audomainreview