Executive Director's Report - 16 December 2006

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the Executive Committee’s meeting of 18 November and 6 December are attached as part of the Consent Agenda item. These minutes have already been circulated to the Council list.

ICANN Brazil Meeting

My report on the ICANN Sao Paulo meeting is attached. Recommendations from the report are included below.

Digital Communities

Both Susi and I attended the Digital Communities strategic planning workshop in Christchurch on 22 and 23 November. Simon Riley had facilitated the meeting, with support from Local Government New Zealand, EDANZ and the Digital Strategy Secretariat (Peter Macaulay and Frank March), as well as InternetNZ. There was a strong enthusiasm from the 50 – 60 participants.

The meeting sought to gauge the levels of enthusiasm from attendees to progress the following outcomes:

o To develop a National ICT Economic Transformation Action plan for New Zealand in conjunction with local communities and central government.

o To agree that a National Digital Communities Conference to be held in 2007.

o To consider adopting the E City Index Pilot Project as a joint initiative with the E City Network in Scotland

These outcomes could impact positively on regional economic and community development. As these are common goals to InternetNZ I have agreed that we will continue to support the initiative towards the goal of a major event for 2007. We will provide secretarial support through operation of mailing lists etc. Specific financial support is separately calculated in the draft budget.

Telecommunications Amendment Bill

The draft Bill was released from Select Committee late last month, and shows changes that are strongly in line with InternetNZ’s submissions. In particular, the new Bill implements an operational separation model based on the Australian statute, but following the outcomes developed in the UK and applying to British Telecom. This is a significant improvement on the original draft and InternetNZ can be proud of the role it has played in securing this change.

Staff wrote to the Minister seeking some late changes to the Bill to strengthen the definition of equivalence and to make some other changes. It remains to be seen whether the Bill will pass this year or next year, but the policy work underlying the implementation continues regardless, and a two-month delay as the price of getting the Bill exactly right – if that occurs – is not seen as a concern.

Copyright Bill

On 5 December the government released a draft Copyright Bill. An initial reading of the bill indicates there are some provisions in it which are very laudable (a sensible approach to format shifting among them), but that others are less good. The anti-circumvention provisions need to be carefully reviewed. I am securing a legal review of this bill ASAP to provide a sound basis for submissions and for any media comment we may make on the matter.

Other Issues

The draft strategic plan, the draft budget and the Structural Review strawman model are the dominant items on this Council meeting agenda, and are covered by separate reports.

Forthcoming Meetings

We have a number of meetings arising in the new year and given the forthcoming festive season, it is appropriate to consider our representation at this Council meeting. The NZNOG will be in Palmerston North from 31 January to 2 February. INZ staff will attend as sponsors and for membership recruitment.

Internationally, APRICOT and the APTLD AGM are scheduled for 21 February to 3 March in Bali. ICANN Lisbon is scheduled for 26 – 30 March.

Furthermore, Chris Disspain will retire by rotation as an Asia Pacific regional ccNSO Councillor in February, and is eligible for re-election and prepared to continue in that role and as the ccNSO chair. Peter Dengate Thrush’s term as Director and Chair of APTLD also expires at the February AGM. Council may wish to give consideration to either or both of these vacancies.

Christmas

As advised, the InternetNZ office will be closed for the two weeks of Christmas and New Year.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Councillors all the best for the forthcoming festive season.

Recommendations:

1. That this Executive Directors report be received.

2. That the Executive Directors monthly reports for September and October be received.

3. That Council considers representation for NZNOG, APRICOT, APTLD and ICANN meetings occurring during the first quarter of 2007.

4. That Council considers nominations for vacancies on the ccNSO Council and the APTLD Board.

Keith Davidson
7 December 2006