Recently George Michaelson <ggm&#167;connect.com.au> made what seemed to me
to be some very good points w.r.t. the need for a wider vision of the
internet in Oz and its relationship to the wider world.  He made the
point that the internet is fundamentally an infrastructure that industry
and others may find it profitable or convenient to use.  It is not "an
industry" in itself.

George went on to say:

> It certainly wants to demonstrate an understanding of the wider issues of
> DNS and show some involvement in the current international processes. I am
> interested to know who apart from Geoff Huston has had any involvement in
> wider DNS matters? Has Intiaa or any other participant any role in the
> regional Internet bodies and processes? Have you canvassed any similar issues
> in other countries? Sure, we expect to own and run .AU and in the final
> analysis its a matter for Australia only, but equally, we're not THAT 
> different to other countries, and I'd like to know whats being proposed 
> here is meeting current best practice worldwide.

Which left me wondering if a useful model for international cooperation
might be found in organisations such as the International Postal Union?
Or, at a more "commercial" level, the International Air Transport Association?
Not that I'm really clear on what or how such groups cooperate/regulate
etc.; but they certainly seem to give examples of where international
cooperation has been beneficial to us all and the systems put in place
seem to work even in cases where individual member countries are at each
others' throats from time to time.

Cheers,  Ian S.