Australian Internet Community – planning a way forward

An informal group of interested stakeholders is working together to develop a plan for a sustainable national initiative that will – in the future – provide opportunities for the Australian Internet community to discuss and address internet governance issues.

Background

The Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF) ran for five years from 2012-2016.  The idea of the auIGF was based on the Global IGF – to bring government, industry and community members together in an open, apolitical, multi-stakeholder environment, to exchange ideas and best practice around Internet governance.

The auIGF was organised, hosted and supported by .au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA), with input from other key stakeholders.  After the 2016 auIGF, auDA announced that its future facilitation of the auIGF would cease.

At a meeting of Australian Internet community stakeholders convened in May 2017 by the Australian Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Dr Tobias Feakin, there was general consensus that an auIGF-type event would be of benefit in facilitating discussion and consultation on Internet governance issues.

In October 2017, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officially launched Australia’s International Cyber Engagement Strategy. In it, the government notes that Australia is an advocate for a multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance, and that the government will “Support an annual community-led Australian Internet governance and cooperation forum” (point 5.02, page 61).

Planning a way forward

An informal group of interested stakeholders is now working together to determine what an “annual community-led Australian Internet governance and cooperation forum” might look like, and how to ensure such a forum remains sustainable in the longer term.

The informal group consists of:

• An independent Chair (Sandra Davey – funded by DFAT)
• An independent secretariat (ACIG – funded by DFAT)
• Representatives from the Australian Government Department of Communications and the Arts
• Representatives from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Volunteer representatives from the following organisations:
  • Internet Australia
  • APNIC (Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre)
  • ACCAN (Australian Communications Consumer Action Network)
  • EFA (Electronic Frontiers Australia)
  • auDA

Single-day workshop, in Canberra

The group plans to hold a single-day workshop, in Canberra, to develop a plan for a sustainable national initiative that will – in the future – provide opportunities for the Australian Internet community to discuss and address internet governance issues.

The Canberra meeting is not, itself, to be a forum for capacity building, or the discussion of internet governance issues.

The informal group is currently working together to develop an agenda for the day, and prepare a list of people to invite to participate in the single-day planning workshop.

The informal group is aiming to have around 50 invited participants on the day, and will try to ensure:

• that the people who come to the Canberra meeting are the people with enough seniority, expertise and resources to take on the initiation of a national forum;
• participants at the Canberra meeting are diverse and representative of the Australian Internet community; and
• that all participants understand what they are expected to work towards, and achieve, at the Canberra meeting.

The single-day planning workshop is scheduled for Thursday 19 July, at the Hotel Kurrajong, Barton, ACT.

Timeline of Activities

20 April 2018 – Group teleconference

• Minutes of the meeting available here

11 May 2018 –  Group teleconference

• Agenda available here
• Minutes of the meeting available here

1 June 2018 –  Group teleconference

• Agenda available here
• Minutes of the meeting available here.

22 June 2018 –  Group teleconference

• Agenda available here
• Minutes of the meeting available here.

6 July 2018 – Group teleconference

• Agenda available here
• Minutes of the meeting available here.

13 July 2018 –  Group teleconference

• Minutes of the meeting available here.

19 July 2018 – Single day, face to face workshop in Canberra

• Agenda available here
• Key workshop output – Draft Plan v2.0

Subsequently: finalise and disseminate the agreed plan for a sustainable national initiative that will – in the future – provide opportunities for the Australian Internet community to discuss and address internet governance and cooperation issues.

24 July 2018 – Group teleconference (wrap up)

• Minutes of the meeting available here.