Given that I’m now an auDA Director, a question lots of people have asked is what’s going to happen with Domainer.com.au? Some have even suggested that I am effectively going to be muzzled by the organisation.
So here is my answer for the record.
- Domainer.com.au will live on – and if anything, it will improve its output with the introduction of guest contributors. More on this tomorrow …
- Obviously, I have an obligation to respect Board confidentiality, and I will honour that to the best of my ability, judgement and conscience. Ultimately, the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the auDA Constitution shall be my guide.
- As part of the “induction process” for new Directors early last month, Ashurst (auDA’s solicitors) gave us an excellent handout entitled “Duties of Directors”. A section of this was entitled “Good faith and proper purpose”. Essentially Directors have a “Duty to exercise powers and discharge duties in good faith in best interests of corporation (entity) and for proper purpose (s181). Number one key point was this (bolding is theirs). I could not agree more:
“Interests of the entity” – this is generally equated with the collective interests of the members.
Core Belief
I love the .au namespace – and just want the best for it for everyone that is part of it (or is still to use it).
I stood for election with Nicole Murdoch because we believe that auDA is a membership organisation, and all members deserve better communication and transparency than they have received over the past 18 months. That is our fundamental starting point. Other issues are still on the record at Grumpy.com.au – but everything begins with “communication and transparency”.
Our mission is to try and take auDA with us on this – not fight them on it. We want to help them get out of the quagmire that they find themselves in (having been subject to a Special General Meeting of members – and now a Government review). That to us is acting in the “collective interests of the organisation and its members”. Hopefully, those at the helm will embrace what we have to offer.
Like a good football team, you need skilled players; strong and effective leadership; great support and backup – but on the other side of the coin you also need supportive members and fans. One does not co-exist without the other.
Finally
Our first guest article should be up tomorrow. 🙂
If you’d also like to be a contributor, we’d welcome your approach. Domainer has an excellent niche readership which continues to grow. We’re happy to give a free leg-up to anyone who can offer our readers something beneficial or different.
All the best.
Ned O’Meara – 2nd January 2018
Disclaimer
This is very interesting Ned and certainly flies in the face of suggestions that auDA should make decisions in its own self interest.
Where does it leave auDA who seem intent on reducing the rights of the members when in reality auDA is supposed to be acting in their interests?
@Paul – until something changes (like the Constitution), auDA is a membership organisation. Whilst some may not like that, that’s the situation.
Ashurt spelt out Directors obligations, and the excerpt I quoted is the way I understand it should be.
How about a précis of what auDA does
what is it’s actual function ?
@Glenn – here is the official version.
Then have a look at Clauses 3 and 3.2 of the auDA Constitution.
Agree Glenn, I think it would be of benefit if auDA told members about its technical role aswell. I think many members assume its job is regulation only and that technical elements are completely outsourced.
Maybe someone from auDA could do a guest post explaining exactly what they do?
Sounds like Bitcoin to me,
There cant be disputes over domains, you either have it or you dont and copyright infringements should be handled by the courts. I cant see what else there is to do ?