Consultation on .au Licensing Rules Review: Draft Report

In September 2025, the auDA Board appointed an external Policy Advisory Panel (Panel) to undertake a review of the .au Licensing Rules (the Review). Following an initial phase of consultation between September 2025 and March 2026 (phase 1), a second phase of consultation by the Panel specifically in its Draft Report to the auDA Board, which outlines recommendations for proposed changes to the .au Licensing Rules (phase 2).

The Draft Report was prepared in accordance with the Review’s Terms of Reference, informed by phase 1 consultation conducted by the Panel. The Panel also encouraged feedback from the community via written submissions on the auDA website .

The Terms of Reference for the Review directed the Panel to consider six identified issues relating to the effective and fair operation of the .au Licensing Rules, as well as other matters raised via the consultation.

The Draft Report sets out the Panel’s recommendations on these issues, and an additional four issues that were raised in feedback from the public.

This consultation has now closed.

The public had the opportunity to provide their feedback on the Draft Report by attending one or more of the below consultation events led by the Panel:

• Virtual Town Hall 1 – 10am Wednesday 17 June
• Virtual Town Hall 2 – 4pm Thursday 18 June
• In-person workshop (Melbourne) – 11am to 1pm Monday 6 July
• In-person workshop (Sydney) – 11am to 1pm Tuesday 7 July.

Submissions received from this consultation and other community engagement activity helped inform the Policy Advisory Panel’s Final Report to the auDA Board. At its August 2026 meeting the auDA Board resolved to approve the Panel’s Recommendations in the Final Report in principle and directed auDA Management to prepare an Implementation Plan that takes into account the impact of the Recommendations.

auDA will prepare an Implementation Plan that takes into account the impact of any Recommendations. It will then draft proposed changes to the .au Licensing Rules aligned to the Panel’s recommendations.

When prepared, the draft .au Licensing Rules and explanatory guide will be published on the auDA website for public consultation, giving stakeholders and the broader community an opportunity to have their say about the proposed changes and how they give effect to the Panel’s recommendations.

auDA will also provide regular updates on key dates and any transition arrangements in the coming months