How Not To Get Unfairly Shafted – .AU Domains

Priority allocation of the new .au domain names happens next month.

It’s too complicated a process to explain succinctly how it all works. Head to auDA and read this article – plus download their fact sheets.

If you’re still confused or have questions, please message or phone me. Happy to try and assist.

Naughty, naughty, naughty

My number one peeve about this process is that some people / companies / businesses currently have an unfair entitlement.

Why? Because they have an org.au domain registered when they are not entitled to do so.

The .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing are very specific – under 2.4.6, a Person applying for a licence in the org.au namespace must be a not for profit entity (other provisions apply as well).

So when you check your priority entitlement on auDA’s very handy tool, is there an .org.au equal to or ahead of you? If so, are they a legitimate “not for profit entity”? Check the WhoIs; then go to ABN lookup. The first section of this should tell you – but if in doubt click through and view the record on the ASIC website.

How to rectify a “naughty” situation

Step 1. Play it safe – take screenshots of everything.

Step 2. Go to auDA’s complaints page; and follow the prompts. You are obliged to make an initial complaint to the registrar of record.

Step 3. If you don’t get a satisfactory response from the registrar, repeat the process but this time tick the box that says “Yes, I have contacted the registrar”. The auDA compliance team will then deal with it.

I recently had a situation where a person registered an org.au domain quite some time ago, and they ranked ahead of me when it came to “priority allocation”. However, they were a commercial organisation – and should never have been allowed to register it. Unfortunately, some overseas based registrars don’t police this.

I got to step 3, and the auDA compliance team was wonderful. Mission accomplished. Many thanks to them.

Hope this helps you!