Readers of today's AFR will note that Michael Malone has taken legal
action against Melbourne IT for its pricing policy on com.au domain name
renewals, and has chosen to advance some of his arguments through the
AFR ahead of the court case that he has initiated.

I will not comment here on the merits of Michael Malone's case (and nor
did I to the AFR journalist David Crowe, as the matter is sub judice).

However I want to express my disappointment that Michael Malone has
sought to achieve through court action what he has not been able to
achieve through the DNS Forum, which is the Internet industry's
self-regulating forum.

I am also disappointed that he has side-stepped the less expensive
dispute resolution process (involving a professional mediation service)
that is part of the COM.AU General Policy and is endorsed by the DNS
Forum.

Tactics of litigation will only add to the costs of the Domain Name
System, and will ultimately be reflected in higher fees to end users.

By contrast, ISOC-AU and INTIAA through their relevant Directors have
been making constructive suggestions through discussions with Melbourne
IT over the past week on how the current dead-lines for renewals might
be extended for certain classes of 'historical' domain names, and
Melbourne IT is likely to agree to these proposals. 

We will defend our Pricing Policy, that was introduced with the
endorsement of the DNS Forum, strenuously in any court actions. 
 
PG       
-- 
Professor Peter Gerrand
CEO, Melbourne IT