The Principal of my daughter's school has received this:

> From: 
> To:  
> Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 2:09 PM
> Subject: All Independent Schools - Heads - 4/27/2004 12:23:33 PM
> 
> 
> 
> Dear 
> 
> Important Information about changes to the management of edu.au domain
> names
> 
> >From May 6th 2004 holders of edu.au domain names will be required to
> register their domain every two years. Registration will attract a $100
> fee.
> 
> Background
> As a result of changes to the management of AU domain, the Education
> Domain Advisory Committee (eDAC) was established 2001 to oversee policy
> and administration of the edu.au domain name space in relation to
> Australian education and training internet addresses. At that time, it was
> decided that the edu.au domain should remain closed and controlled by the
> education community, and as it had a very limited policy, representatives
> of each system and sector were called upon to develop appropriate policy.
> 
> As part of the process, the decision was made to have Education.au take
> over responsibility for the edu.au registry from AUNIC. The registry is
> the online database of Australian education domain names. In order to fund
> the management of the registry, it was concluded that, after a grace
> period, edu.au domain names would attract a registration fee, renewable
> every two years. During the initial one year phase-in period, the running
> costs were met by the States and Commonwealth.
> 
> Domain name renewal notices will be sent to the holders of edu.au domain
> names by using the email addresses available in the contact details
> registered with the domain. Reminders will be sent at pre-determined
> intervals and if renewal is not carried out, domains will be suspended.
> 
> 
> Action required re accuracy of domain name contact information
> Given that individual independent schools commenced registration of
> domains from 1995, it is highly possible that the contact details and
> contact email address have become out of date.
> 
> This has the potential to cause domain renewal notice emails to fail,
> meaning that the school domain could ultimately be suspended.
> 
> Recommendation:
> If your school has an edu.au domain name, it is important that admin
> contact details are brought up to date.
> 
> Details can be updated in the education domain name website at:
> http://www.domainname.edu.au
> 
> Accessing your school details will require a password. 
> 
> Contact Education.au (08) 8334 3245 in order to obtain a password to
> update your domain name contact details as soon as possible.
> 
> Further information can be found at:
> http://www.domainname.edu.au/registrar/page1022.html

Quite why a .edu.au domain should be charged at $50 per annum is a mystery. I just 
renewed some .za, .nz, .uk, and .il domains and not one cost more than $30 per 
annum and at least two were done through a "monopoly" but not-for-profit 
registry/registrar.

Somebody is doing very well out of this - just like the rip off merchants at 
auDA/Ausregistry

cb