The Australian domain name regulator, auDA, recently announced that direct .au domain name registrations will start in March 2022. This means that in addition to yourbusinessname.com.au you’ll be able to register yourbusinessname.au

It is important to note that this new domain name format will require the registration of an additional domain name, if you wish to take it up.

When this was first proposed, some 14 years ago, I lodged an objection to auDA, which is still on public record here:

https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-12/2007npp-issue-BANK-Simon-bank.txt

My objection way back in 2007 was that allowing direct “2nd level” domain registrations should not go ahead as it “as it compromises the intellectual property of hundreds of thousands of businesses”. However, since then, we’ve seen the successful rollout of the .nz name space and, while the intellectual property issues remain, they are solvable. New Zealand offered a sunrise period for 6 months allowing trademark holders, and existing .co.nz and .net.nz holders priority access to their corresponding .nz domain name.

As of 24 March 2022, auDA will launch a similar sunrise period – in first six months there will be a Priority Allocation Process allowing for:

• registration of brand-new .au direct names  – domain names that don’t have an existing direct match elsewhere in the .au registry
• allow existing owners of .com.au names to register the exact .au equivalent of their domain name(s)

For example, as we own webstudio.com.au and webstudio.net.au, we’ll have the right to secure webstudio.au

At Webstudio, we manage 90% of our clients’ domain names, because if your contact details change or your renewal email lands in spam, your business could be interrupted if your domain name inadvertently expires. If your domain expires, there’s a 30-day redemption period, but it can still be very disruptive if you lose website and email access for just a few hours. For domain names we manage, we monitor upcoming domain name renewals on a daily basis to ensure continuity of service for your business.

We’re on hand to help with registering a .au domain for your business once they launch. Closer to launch, we’ll be in touch with an email to each client offering .au domain names.

If you’d like to go on our list now, drop an email through to office@webstudio.com.au and we’ll make sure your .au name is secured come March 2022.