Chair's Report to Council 03/08/01

My first task after the last Council meeting was to establish the composition of Councils working groups and committees. With significant input from the Secretary and Treasurer, and some cajoling of some members outside Council, I think we have a very workable and robust structure for the forthcoming year, with real strength in each group.

I think it important to note that the input from outside of Council, namely Peter Dengate Thrush (Chair International Affairs), Frank March (International Affairs), Mark Harris (MEP), Ewen McNeill (SRSIOC), Don Hollander (Social Impact and Internet Roadshow), Judge David Harvey, Sarah Mehrtens and Damien Broadley (Domain Name Dispute Resolution), Joe Abley, Andrew Garrett, Roger Hicks, Neil James, Stephen Judd and Ernst Uys (Internet Surveillance) will contribute with specialist skills to these groups, and will give significant impetus in our moving forwards toward achieving our objectives this year.

The working groups and committees appear to have settled into their stride, with the relevant group and committee Chairs allowing some settling in time for new members to come up to speed, and now almost all are making progress

I think the only committee that has not progressed is TOC, which will establish its broad charter at this Council meeting.

I will reiterate that I believe the best progress will be made within the committees and working groups, and that Council needs to view itself as the approver of the outcomes from these groups, rather than the re-litigator and I urge Councillors to endorse this concept.

Since the last meeting I have also been involved with the following:

• Negotiations for internetnz.org.nz
• Agreement on press releases / banner ad design for logo competition / rebranding
• Media interviews
  • Tom Pullar-Strecker, Infotech (InternetNZ feature and Domainz AGM)
  • Paul Brislen, IDG (New Council and Crimes Amendment Bill)
  • Adam Gifford, NZ Herald (Domainz AGM)
• Bruce Simpson, Aardvark (Domainz AGM
• Domainz AGM as shareholder representative
• Admin committee meeting

I believe that by and large the perception is that InternetNZ is moving forwards, and more importantly, in the right directions, in an open and transparent manner.

On top of our original objectives, some further initiatives have emerged over the past week or two, including further input into the Crimes Amendment Act, Internet2, and the DCMA.

Keith Davidson
31 July 2001

© 2001 The Internet Society of New Zealand
Last updated 1 August 2001