22/08/2015
Robert Elz created the .com.au TLD shortly after being given full control of the .au ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain) in March 1986. Australia was the fourth country to request a ccTLD on the internet, thanks to Elz. He set up our TLD system at the time for a reason.
He never explained it, but from what I can tell, the .au ccTLD was designed as a controlling "head" of second-level domains such as .com.au, .net.au, .org.au(.) This gave the tale-end of Australian domain names some sort of order, a separation of second-level domains under a single Country Code master. A graceful separation.
He could have decided at the very beginning for Australia to have one simple .au (TLD) to the end of our domain names, and just lump different internet user communities all together into one great big heap... But he specifically chose not to do this. It looks as though he wanted to create the ability to maintain different policies most appropriate for different communities of internet users. This would make sense.
He implemented and personally enforced strict rules as to who could purchase Australian domain names, even stricter rules than now. He did not allow geo or product names, only registered companies or businesses in Australia could purchase a .com.au TLD. This was different to how other ccTLD operators around the world were doing it at the time, which brought a certain calibre of status to the Australian domain name.
Robert Elz should be completely credited and applauded for giving our now famous and powerful .com.au TLD its global, world-class credibility that we enjoy today. All due to the way he created it.
Now, 25 years later, we're discussing allowing .au to exist as its own TLD, thus undermining the awesome system that Robert Elz first invented at the very beginning of the Australian internet.
com.au is currently famous, powerful and cool.
For what purpose do we need to change this system?
