news Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has revealed he is leading a team to a key telecommunications conference being held in Dubai this week at which the International Telecommunications Union is attempting to seek greater control over the operation of the Internet.

The ITU is an agency of the United Nations which is responsible for technology. It is usually best known for its work setting international telecommunications and technology standards, although it also oversees other areas such as the administration of satellite orbits and so on. It is currently seeking to bring more administration of the Internet under its wing, taking power away from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a US non-profit corporation.

In a statement released this morning, Conroy said he was attending the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), where the ITU would make its case for greater control over the Internet. The conference will consider amendments to the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs). The ITRs assist in the operation of telecommunications networks across national borders. Some of the amendments are seeking to extend the ITRs to cover internet governance.

At present, this is the job of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Numbers and Names (ICANN), which has input from industry stakeholders, governments and the public. “ICANN’s multi-stakeholder model has played a significant role in the success of the internet, and is essential for ensuring that the internet remains a central point for innovation and a driver of economic growth,” Conroy said this morning.

“Australia wants to make sure that any amendments to the ITRs do not undermine this model or fundamentally change the way the internet operates. Australia does not believe a case has been made for change. Australia’s position is that the ITU should continue to focus on developing technical telecommunications standards that deal with the interoperability of public networks and capacity building, and that ICANN should continue to oversee the global Domain Name System.”

“There appears to be little value in either organisation seeking to encroach on the responsibilities of the other.

“Given the increasing importance of communications networks in our day-to-day lives, governments should continue to play a role in developing and protecting this vital infrastructure from harm – either from deliberate attacks or natural disasters. Nations should work together to develop coordinated and flexible ways to respond to significant service disruptions.”
During the Minister’s attendance at the conference he will formally meet the heads of other delegations and hold bilateral meetings with a range of countries to seek their support for Australia’s position.

opinion/analysis
With his abandonment of Labor’s controversial Internet filter, his promotion of the NBN and now taking a global role to help ensure the stability of the Internet (including blocking moves for more government control of the Internet), it’s hard to make an argument right now that Communications Minister Stephen Conroy isn’t doing a great job. Building great telecommunications infrastructure, fighting control and censorship of the Internet, and now kicking ass and taking names in Dubai. What’s not to like about Stephen Conroy right now?

Oh, right, he won’t answer questions about the new, more limited Interpol filter which Australia is getting. Well, still not too shabby, by my count.

Image credit: Kim Davies, Creative Commons

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1. Nobby6
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 12:00 pm | Permalink | Reply

   is it April one? did I drop into a coma during my sleep for several months ?

   Surely this.. no. OK will the real Stephen Conroy escape from his captors and will this imposter be arrested?

2. Phil Smith
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 12:07 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Still can not trust someone as inept and arrogant to have attempting to introduce mandatory filtering. A (big) permanent black mark against his name around here.

3. *insert witty name*
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 12:49 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Point.One Internets for Conroy

   He could’ve got ONEWHOLEINTERNETS if he didn’t try and implement that damn filter.

   Definitely a step in the right direction

4. Tinman_au
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 1:31 pm | Permalink | Reply

   He seems to be heading the right way, but he still needs to supply a few answers.

   If the AFP can get whatever they like added, or are directed by the AG to have added, then the “Interpol filter” is just as bad as the original filter.

5. Brendan
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 2:11 pm | Permalink | Reply

   I really wish Conroy would get a new hobby. This “filtering the internets of all the potentially nasty people” thing is getting a bit old.

   • Sathias
     Posted 03/12/2012 at 4:05 pm | Permalink | Reply

     I think you need to read the article a little more carefully.

6. Disgruntled Loner
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 4:50 pm | Permalink | Reply

   I have read, and reread, your article and I can not find anywhere there a statement, neither explicit nor implied, from Conroy that his intentions are to combat Censorship. From my reading of your article Conroy seems mainly concerned with Domain Names, and who controls them; and given your recent article about Australia´s disproportionately large number of objects to applications for new Domain Names I can´t say I am surprised. He is doing well with his current objections to new Domain Names, and I doubt he wants that to change.

   If I have missed something please point it out, but I just don´t see the basis for your claim that Conroy is combating Censorship.

7. Trev
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 6:21 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Labour has censorship on the brain, to such an extent that the NBN will be teeming with blocks and filters, so make sure you DON’T sign up kids.

   Trev

8. Duke
   Posted 03/12/2012 at 9:55 pm | Permalink | Reply

   “the NBN will be teeming with blocks and filters, so make sure you DON’T sign up kids”

   …um, what the hell man?

9. PeterA
   Posted 04/12/2012 at 8:14 am | Permalink | Reply

   Actually I find this move is AGAINST freedom of the internet.
   Domain name confiscation anyone?

   The further from the USA control of any component of the internet is, the better it will be for everyone.

10. Me
    Posted 04/12/2012 at 2:02 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Conroy is supporting ICANN, while ICE/DHS use ICANN to wage a DNS seizure spree around the internetz.

    Conroy’s fighting for MORE CENSORSHIP, not less – and in typical Labor fashion, he’s doing the US’es dirty work for them. Continued US control of international DNS is a travesty, especially when they use that control to unilaterally and extra-territorially seize domain names.

    Terrible interpretation by the writer.

11. roberto
    Posted 05/12/2012 at 10:29 am | Permalink | Reply

    Unfortunately no policy or direction in regards to implementing the ICANN trusted environment is presently in place. Government is even grappling to understand the difference between Cloud and Data Centres and their responsibilities.
    Legislating and implementing the relevant security practices to protect the general public seems to be the last thing on their mind as budgetary consideration is far more important.

12. Harquebus
    Posted 07/12/2012 at 12:09 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Who is he and where is the real Stephen Conroy?

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