AusRegistry sets the record straight:
https://www.ausregistry.com.au/setting-story-straight-neustars-role-audas-registry-transformation-project/
Most notably, they state:
At 00:00:00 on July 1, 2018, .au Registry switches in full away from Neustar. From this point, Neustar has zero control of DNS, security, support and other operations for .au. As requested by auDA, there is no rollback option for this transition – which sadly means Neustar won’t be able to support the .au community with its 3.1 million domains any longer.
As expected given the experience of running the .au domain Registry for the last 16 years, Neustar has strong opinions on the transition process. We’ve raised concerns with the timing and details of the transition and the inherent risks of this process to all relevant parties including auDA, the Department of Communications and the Arts (DOCA), as well as a number of other Australian Government agencies and departments.
Neustar has not seen what we would consider to be a sufficiently detailed Transition Plan, nor did we participate in or have seen the results of the risk assessments performed by auDA. We have found this behaviour quite puzzling and concerning and believe it is unusual for a transition of this nature.
auDA CEO, Cameron Boardman certainly puffed up Afilias and disrespected AusRegistry in the prwire article; Over 16 years AusRegistry fully paid for their own custom-built .au system for Australia, meanwhile, Mr. Boardman is proudly spruiking his mouth off about throwing money around town to further the commercial interests of Afilias. Saying, “Western Australia’s new nameserver is designed, built and operated by Afilias” cough, cough, and Paid for by the ‘not-for-profit’ organisation, auDA. I wonder, did auDA pay for AusRegistry world class Nodes, network services, and Local Australian customer service centre? IMHO, I doubt it, and I doubt auDA owns any IP designed and built by Afilias.
Fingers crossed it all transitions well, but we all know what will happen…
Ausregistry / Neustar Inc / Golden Gate Capital ripped off .au domain name Registrars, Resellers and Consumers for 18 years.
They made hundreds of $millions in profits including the founders.
Being greedy, arrogant and not market competitive was their demise.
The only people they can blame are themselves.
Adrian take your $100 million you made and your staff and move to the Cayman Islands. Seriously.
You did very well and probably would be best to not have Government , Registrars, Resellers, Auda, Consumers and media digging too much.
The Afilias wholesale price is 60% lower than Ausregistry price. Now it is clear we all where being ripped off and raped financially.
Farewell.
Bon Voyage!
…and does that 60% discount translate to cheaper end user costs for domain names? NO
It translates into more money for the CEO to bribe his way out of being sacked.
I wonder if they will vote yes at the http://www.Grumpier.com.au SGM 27th July 2018 for the removal of the 3 current Board members and vote of no confidence in the chaotic and turmoil producing auDA CEO Blair Cameron Boardman.
Boardman and those voting Independent Directors Chris Leptos, Suzie Ewart and Sandra Hook cost them hundreds of $ millions and egg on their face.
The End result of the current Managements decisions are yet another foreign owned company owns and runs the. Au namespace wholesale registry and continued risk to Australian Critical Infrastructure plus money going overseas with taxes evaded in Australia. ( Afilias is an offshore Ireland Company set up).
and lets not forget the hundreds of member applicants from foreign countries who were approved by the Board through the deviancy of the CEO.