Skeeve Stevens wrote Monday, June 10, 2002 12:00 PM
> But the auDA derives its income from the Registrars...
> therefore it is in the interests of auDA to create new
> 2ld's for the Registrars to have access to.
> Because when the Registrars profit, so does auDA.
>
> Who brought up the idea of new 2ld's? auDA... will the
> Registrars support it? of course they will..
>
> ...Skeeve

Skeeve makes some important points.

In other words, and taking Skeeve's points further:

auDA as an industry regulator is funded by fees payable by the
monopoly registry operator, which is dependent upon auDA for an
adequate supply of well priced domain name licences at the wholesale
level.  There are co-dependencies between auDA, the monopoly registry
operator and the supply chain of registrars and their resellers of
retail domain name services.

These co-dependencies are complex and pervasive, and might change
under the new regulatory scheme and competition model.  There are
relationships between entities in the supply chain and directors on
the auDA Board.

I'm not suggesting that there is anything sinister in these
co-dependencies and relationships, but that we ought to cognisant of
the implications for the domain name supply industry and its
governance.

I'd appreciate it if anyone could assist me to better understand the
significance of these co-dependencies and relationships for
governance - at an abstract or conceptual level, not at a personal
level.  For example, is auDA, the industry regulator, part of the
supply chain?


--
Ian Johnston, Policy Consultant
Small Enterprise Telecommunications Centre (SETEL)
www.setel.com.au  mailto:ian.johnston§setel.com.au
02 6258 3409 (B/F)  02 6259 7777 (B)  0413 990 112 (M)

SETEL is a national small business consumer association
advancing the interest of Australian small business
as telecommunications and e-commerce consumers