ICANN|ARCHIVES

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

>> EXCUSE ME, WE'LL BE STARTING IN JUST A MOMENT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>KEITH DAVIDSON: WE'RE ON?
CAN I ASK EVERYBODY TO PLEASE TAKE A SEAT.
OKAY.
MY NAME IS KEITH DAVIDSON.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INTERNETNZ, LOCAL HOST FOR ICANN WELLINGTON.
DR. VINT CERF --
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>KEITH DAVIDSON: DR. VINT CERF, DR. PAUL TWOMEY, MEMBERS OF THE ICANN BOARD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU TWO MEMBERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT TODAY.
FIRSTLY, DAVID CUNLIFFE, WHO IS OUR MINISTER FOR I.T. AND COMMUNICATIONS, AND ALSO MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION.
MR. CUNLIFFE IS A FORMER DIPLOMAT AND ENTERED THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT CABINET LAST YEAR.
HE HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WITH THE RELEASE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR NEW ZEALAND, A COPY OF WHICH WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR MEETING SATCHEL.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS LIFTS NEW ZEALAND'S RANKING FOR BROADBAND UPTAKE FROM ITS CURRENT 22ND PLACE ON THE OECD TO THE UPPER QUARTILE BY 2010.
MR. CUNLIFFE PROMOTES INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION AND APPLIES THIS PHILOSOPHY GENERALLY TO THE INTERNET IN NEW ZEALAND.
HOWEVER, INTERNETNZ WAS THE RECIPIENT OF SOME SIGNIFICANT GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO ASSIST IN MEETING OUR HOSTING OBLIGATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE GAC.
AND ICANN.
AND THIS IS ONE OCCASION WHERE WE'RE GRATEFUL TO OUR GOVERNMENT FOR NOT KEEPING TO ITS HANDS-OFF POLICY.
I ALSO HAVE PLEASURE IN INTRODUCING WINNIE LABAN, MINISTER OF COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR, AND ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR PACIFIC ISLAND AFFAIRS.
MS. LABAN IS A NEW ZEALAND-BORN SAMOAN, AND I HOPE SHE WILL HAVE SOME TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THE MANY PACIFIC ISLAND DELEGATES AT THIS ICANN MEETING AND THE CONCURRENT PACIFIC ISLAND COMMUNICATION FORUM THIS WEEK.
MR. CUNLIFFE, I WOULD WELCOME YOU TO COME FORWARD AND FORMALLY OPEN THIS MEETING.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>HON DAVID CUNLIFFE:
E kui ma, e koro ma, e raurangatira ma - tena koutou katoa.
E te manuhiri kua tae mai nei i tenei wa, nau mai, haere mai ki te whenua
nei, ara, Aotearoa.
He mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa.
No reira tena koutou, tena koutou huihui mai tatou katoa.
WINNIE LABAN, MY DISTINGUISHED PARLIAMENTARY COLLEAGUE; KEITH DAVIDSON, THE PRESIDENT OF INTERNET NEW ZEALAND; AND THROUGH YOU, YOUR HARD-WORKING TEAM; VINT CERF, THE FATHER OF THE INTERNET; AND PAUL TWOMEY, CEO OF ICANN, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE IN WELLINGTON.
I WANT TO BEGIN, OF COURSE, BY WELCOMING ALL ATTENDEES AND CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ICANN MEETING IN WELLINGTON.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR NEW ZEALAND TO HOST THIS INTERNATIONAL MEETING.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF DELEGATES HERE ALSO FOR THE PACIFIC ISLANDS COMMUNICATIONS FORUM MINISTERS MEETING LATER THIS WEEK, AND, OF COURSE, TO THE PASIFIKA I.T. EXPO, WHICH WILL HAPPEN ON FRIDAY.
INTERNET NEW ZEALAND NEEDS TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR THE INITIATIVE IT HAS TAKEN, KEITH, IN HOSTING THIS EVENT.
AND IT'S PARTICULARLY FITTING THAT IT SHOULD BE HELD HERE IN WELLINGTON.
THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE FIRST LOCAL GOVERNMENT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TO PLACE THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS ON A PUBLIC INTERNET SITE AND WAS ALSO FIRST TO ESTABLISH A WEB SITE.
I'M CONFIDENT IT DIDN'T OVERLOAD THE INTERNET IN DOING SO.
I WANT TO COVER THREE THINGS TODAY: THE ROLE OF ICANN, SOME OF THE FUTURE CHALLENGES FACING THE INTERNET, JUST SOME, AND NEW ZEALAND'S WORK IN MEETING SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES, INCLUDING AT HOME HERE.
FIRSTLY, ON THE INTERNET, AS MANY OF YOU WILL HAVE DISCOVERED GETTING HERE, NEW ZEALAND IS A LONG WAY FROM PRACTICALLY ANYWHERE.
IT MIGHT BE FOR THIS REASON THAT NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN AMONGST THE EARLIEST ADOPTERS OF THE INTERNET.
FOR MOST PEOPLE, THE INTERNET IS THE FIRST PLACE TO SEEK INFORMATION AND INCREASINGLY, ENTERTAINMENT.
AS FOR E-COMMERCE, OUR MOST HEAVILY USED WEB SITE IS AN ONLINE TRADING OPERATION CALLED "TRADE ME,' WHICH HAS 1.2 MILLION REGISTERED USERS, CORRESPONDING TO CLOSE TO ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.
TEN YEARS AGO, DIALUP INTERNET ACCESS WAS JUST TAKING OFF IN NEW ZEALAND.
28.8 KILOBAUDS MODEMS WERE THE RULE, IF YOU WERE LUCKY, AND NO ONE HAD HEARD OF A BLOG.
BROADBAND WAS UNHEARD OF, AND THE IDEA OF DOWNLOADING VIDEO OR LISTENING TO RADIO OVER THE NET WOULD HAVE HAD MOST PEOPLE STARING AT YOU STRANGELY.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN JUST ONE DECADE.
WHILE NEW ZEALAND'S BROADBAND IS NOTHING YET TO BE BOASTING ABOUT, WE CAN ALREADY SEE AN EMERGING DIGITAL ECONOMY.
THROUGH ALL ACCESS METHODS, INTERNET USAGE IN NEW ZEALAND IS HIGH, 80% OF THE POPULATION ACCESS THE INTERNET, AND OVER 60% USE IT REGULARLY.
IF WE'VE COME THIS FAR IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE MIND BOGGLES AT WHAT THE NEXT TEN MIGHT HOLD FOR US.
A CONVERGED TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INTERNET ENVIRONMENT WITH DIGITAL BROADCASTING IN THE MIX.
UBIQUITOUS FIBER TO THE HOMES IN MANY COUNTRIES, AND UBIQUITOUS WIRELESS, TOO.
IPV6, MEANING EVERY ITEM IN YOUR HOUSE COULD HAVE AN INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS.
TELEMEDICINE, A REALITY, OVER QUALITY NETWORKS.
TELE-EDUCATION, A THING THAT IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
AN ABILITY TO WORK FROM YOUR HIGH-COUNTRY STATION ON YOUR WEB-BASED BUSINESS THROUGH REAL BROADBAND.
AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TWO NS WILL BE HOSTING AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON RURAL INTERNET SERVICES, RURAL BROADBAND IN TIMARU THIS FRIDAY.
OF COURSE, THE IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR REGION, THE VAST PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE ISLAND COUNTRIES THAT LIVE WITHIN IT.
AND UNDOUBTEDLY, OF COURSE, THE HUGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS I HAVEN'T MENTIONED YET BECAUSE NONE OF US KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, AND WE ARE CONTINUALLY CHALLENGED IN THIS ENVIRONMENT TO DREAM DREAMS THAT NO ONE HAS DREAMPT BEFORE.
ICANN IS THE PROVEN SEED BED FOR INNOVATION, THE STORY LOOKS LIKE ONE OF TECHNICALLY CLUEFUL PEOPLE, IF I MIGHT SAY SO, SORTING OUT PROTOCOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLOW INTERACTION WITHOUT DEFINING WHAT THEIR INTERACTION SHOULD BE USED FOR.
YOUR BOTTOM-UP, STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN APPROACH TO POLICY DEVELOPMENT IS ONE THAT SEEMS ABLE TO DELIVER THE INTERESTING IDEA OF POLICY OUTCOMES WHERE GOOD IDEAS ARE PICKED UP AND IMPLEMENTED REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM.
THE CHALLENGE FOR US NOW IS HOW WE COPE WITH THIS ARENA THAT IS IN SUCH A DIFFERENT SPACE FROM THAT WHICH WE ARE USED TO WORKING WITH.
I CONSIDER IT AS IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC POLICY DISCUSSION THAT WE INTERACT WITH THIS IN A WAY THAT HELPS, NOT HINDERS, ITS DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S UNSURPRISING THAT THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY, OR WSIS, FOCUSED MUCH OF ITS ATTENTION ON THE NEED FOR BETTER ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
AND ITS RESOURCES AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD.
THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE TUNIS AGENDA, AND ESPECIALLY ITS CALLS FOR GREATER ONLINE PARTICIPATION FROM LEAST-DEVELOPED NATIONS.
I TAKE PARTICULAR PLEASURE IN BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING OF COMMUNICATIONS MINISTERS FROM THE PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM COUNTRIES TAKING PLACE ON THURSDAY, AND WELCOME THE INITIATIVE THAT MY COLLEAGUE, LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN HAS TAKEN TO SCHEDULE THE PASIFIKA I.T. EXPO HERE IN WELLINGTON ON FRIDAY.
THANK YOU, WINNIE.
THE PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF THESE MEETINGS WILL BE HOW IMPROVED ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES CAN ASSIST IN REGIONAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS WILL BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO SMALL, ISOLATED ISLAND POPULATIONS WHO WISH TO PRESERVE THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE IN AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED AND NETWORKED WORLD.
THERE'S NO DOUBT, TOO, THAT GOVERNMENTS ARE BECOMING MORE INVOLVED IN INTERNET ISSUES.
THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED ICANN'S GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD TAKE AN INTEREST IN THE HEALTH OF THE INTERNET AND THE CENTRAL COORDINATING FUNCTIONS THAT ICANN DEALS WITH.
AT THE SAME TIME, I'M CONVINCED THAT THESE FUNCTIONS ARE BEING ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY AND EFFECTIVELY WITHIN THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS.
THE PHRASE "IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT" COMES UP AGAIN AND AGAIN IN LIFE FOR VERY GOOD REASON.
I AM RESPECTFUL OF THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION THAT ICANN HAS MADE TO A FREE AND WELL-FUNCTIONING INTERNET.
THE CHALLENGE FACING THE WHOLE INTERNET COMMUNITY IS TO ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENTS IN THOSE AREAS WHERE PUBLIC POLICY CAN MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE, WHETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S ANTISPAM LEGISLATION OR PROMOTING COMPETITION IN INTERNET ACCESS SERVICES.
I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE FURTHER THE IDEA OF A COMPLIMENTARY, MULTILATERAL APPROACH TO SOME INTERNET ISSUES.
I THINK THE TIME IS RIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HOW GLOBALLY GOVERNMENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS CAN EFFECTIVELY TACKLE ISSUES LIKE SPAM BY WORKING TOGETHER.
A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES DO HAVE ANTISPAM LEGISLATION.
NEW ZEALAND'S IS CURRENTLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT WOULD ADD CREDENCE TO THIS.
ONCE NEW ZEALAND'S LEGISLATION IS PASSED, IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL WANT TO ENGAGE BILATERALLY WITH OTHER COUNTRIES ON RECIPROCAL MEASURES.
A MULTILATERAL APPROACH COULD BE BOTH MORE EFFECTIVE AGAINST SPAMMERS AND A MORE EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES.
THAT IS A CONCEPT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP FURTHER.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO GO PAST THE COMMENTS MADE BY DR. CERF TO THE U.S. SENATE IN RECENT MONTHS, WHERE HE SUMMED UP, I THINK, WITH GREAT CLARITY, THE DANGERS IN DEVELOPING A TWO-TIER INTERNET.
NEW ZEALAND'S GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IN MAINTAINING THE INTERNET AS AN OPEN NETWORK, UNCONSTRAINED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE IN ITS ABILITY TO TRIAL NEW PRODUCTS, TO DELIVER NEW SERVICES, TO REVOLUTIONIZE BUSINESS MODELS ACROSS THE ECONOMY, AND TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR FREE SPEECH, FREE EXPRESSION, AND ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT.
IN PARTICULAR, THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IN THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLES WHO PURCHASE INTERNET ACCESS TO HAVE TRUE ACCESS, NOT SOMETHING THAT IS FILTERED TO PREVENT INNOVATIVE INTERNET-BASED SERVICES FROM COMPETING WITH THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM, NOT SOMETHING WHERE INTERNET CUSTOMERS ARE SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT INTERNET USERS ARE NODES ON THE NETWORK, LIKE ANY OTHER, WITH FULL RIGHTS OF PARTICIPATION, AND WE RESPECT THE ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE MADE THE INTERNET THE AMAZING TOOL IT IS TODAY.
NEW ZEALAND IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IN THIS MODERN AGE, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ARE THE KEY TO GROWTH.
THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZED THAT IN ORDER TO PLAN SUCCESSFULLY FOR OUR DIGITAL FUTURE, WE NEEDED A NATIONWIDE WORKING STRATEGY.
YOU'LL FIND A COPY OF THIS DIGITAL STRATEGY IN YOUR HANDOUTS.
THE FUNDAMENTAL DRIVER OF OUR DIGITAL STRATEGY IS ACTUALLY THE WSIS INSIGHT THAT TO GET THE BEST FROM ICTS, THE THREE KEY ENABLERS OF CONTENT, USER CONFIDENCE, AND CONNECTION MUST BE PURSUED IN PARALLEL.
IN ESSENCE, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT ALL NEW ZEALANDERS CAN ACCESS THE DIGITAL CONTENT THAT ENRICHES OUR LIVES.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE AND CAPABILITY TO USE ICT AND A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO DO SO.
AND, OF COURSE, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE GET CONNECTED TO ICT AND OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO CONNECTION.
IT'S ABOUT, IN SHORT, HOW PEOPLE USE AND BENEFIT FROM ICT.
IN OUR MODERN WORLD, THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, LIKE THE INTERNET, IS FUNDAMENTAL.
AND, OF COURSE, OUR DIGITAL STRATEGY REFLECTS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT UNLESS ALL THREE OF THOSE, CONTENT, CONFIDENCE, AND CONNECTION, ARE SEIZED IN PARALLEL, WE WILL NOT OPTIMIZE EITHER THE RATE OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING OR THE RATE OF BROADBAND UPTAKES, BECAUSE THEY ARE INTERDEPENDENT.
THE CUSTOMER CAPABILITY IS REQUIRED TO ACCESS THE CONTENT.
THE CONTENT DRIVES THE DESIRE TO USE, AND THE UTILIZATION DRIVES THE ECONOMICS OF CONNECTION.
BECAUSE OF THE DATA RICHNESS OF MODERN TRIPLE-PLAY APPLICATIONS, INTERNET USERS ARE FAMOUSLY HUNGRY FOR BANDWIDTH.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLACED A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON BROADBAND INTERNET FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS.
TAKEUP OF APPLICATIONS TO OUR NEW BROADBAND CHALLENGE FUND AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FUND, THE LETTER OF WHICH MY COLLEAGUE, WINNIE LABAN, SUPERVISES, ARE WELL ABOVE EXPECTATIONS, AND BID QUALITY IS VERY HIGH.
LET ME TURN BRIEFLY TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS STOCK-TAKE, WHICH IS IN MANY WAYS RELATED.
EARLIER, I MENTIONED THE VERY HEAVY USE OF THE INTERNET BY NEW ZEALANDERS.
THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE LEVELS OF BROADBAND TAKEUP AND USE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I INTEND TO SEE THAT CHANGE.
UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S DIGITAL STRATEGY, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO NEW ZEALAND BEING IN THE TOP QUARTER OF THE OECD FOR BROADBAND UPTAKE BY 2010-11.
AS THE PRIME MINISTER NOTED IN HER SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT LAST MONTH, IT'S BECOME VERY CLEAR THAT NEW INITIATIVES ARE NEEDED TO GET FASTER INTERNET ACCESS, AND AT MORE COMPETITIVE PRICES.
NEW ZEALAND IS LAGGING BEHIND ON MANY BROADBAND INDICATORS.
FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IMPROVEMENT, OUR CONNECTION SPEED OFFERINGS ARE, ON AVERAGE, STILL TOO SLOW.
OUR STANDARD UPLOAD SPEED HAS BEEN TOO SLOW FOR MANY USERS FOR SOME TIME AND HAS INHIBITED SOME IMPORTANT APPLICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED SERVICES.
WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW COUNTRIES WHERE RESTRICTIVE DATA CAPS HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE THE NORM.
THE LATEST OECD RANKINGS ON THE AVERAGE PER-PERSON INVESTMENT IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PLACED US 22ND OUT OF 30 NATIONS.
SIMILARLY, THE OECD'S MID-2005 RANKINGS FOR THE LEVEL OF BROADBAND UPTAKE ALSO PLACED US 22ND OUT OF 30.
AND WE ARE DISCUSSING WITH THE OECD AN UPDATE ON THAT DATA.
I AM OVERSEEING A STOCK-TAKE OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL REPORT BY MIDYEAR ON WHAT ACTIONS ARE NEEDED TO REACH OUR BROADBAND GOALS.
AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, I'VE PERSONALLY MET WITH A NUMBER OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
A NUMBER OF OTHERS HAVE PROVIDED WRITTEN COMMENTS.
MINISTRY OFFICIALS ARE NOW WORKING THROUGH THEIR ANALYSIS OF THE HUGE VOLUME OF INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
THIS HAS CREATED A LOT OF SPECULATION IN THE MEDIA AND IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY ABOUT THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW ZEALANDERS WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE FINDING OF THE STOCK-TAKES.
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN INUNDATED WITH CORRESPONDENCE ON THE ISSUE, WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,000 E-MAILS AND LETTERS RECEIVED IN THE LAST FORTNIGHT, THE VAST MAJORITY SIGNALING A NEED FOR REFORM.
HOWEVER, I WISH TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT, I REPEAT, NOT, A PREDETERMINED PROCESS.
THE STOCK TAKE COMBINES EXTENSIVE INFORMATION-GATHERING, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIPLE POLICY OPTIONS, SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT, AND HYPOTHESIS TESTING AGAINST INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE.
AS THE PRIME MINISTER HAS NOTED, THE STATUS QUO DOES NOT MEET NEW ZEALAND'S NEEDS, BUT KEY DECISIONS AS TO THE NATURE OF ANY CHANGE HAVE YET TO BE MADE.
WHATEVER IS DECIDED WILL SURELY NOT PLEASE EVERYONE, BUT THAT IS NOT OUR TASK.
RATHER, ON THE BASIS OF THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WE MUST BUILD A POLICY FRAMEWORK MOST LIKELY TO BENEFIT NEW ZEALAND.
OUR INTENTIONS WILL BE PUBLIC BY MIDYEAR.
IN CONCLUSION, I WISH YOU WELL FOR YOUR DISCUSSIONS AND YOUR NETWORKING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES WILL BE DISCUSSED AT ICANN.
SOME OF THE ISSUES AT THIS CONFERENCE ARE OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, AND SOME, NO DOUBT, WILL BE CONTROVERSIAL.
THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE DISCUSSED AND DEALT WITH, WHETHER THE ISSUE IS NEW TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS, GRAPPLING WITH THE NEW INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM OR THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF ICANN OVERALL.
SO I WELCOME YOU THE BEST OF TIME, WELCOME TO WELLINGTON, WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO FORMALLY OPEN THIS ICANN PRESENTATION.
AND, FINALLY, I WISH TO PRESENT VINT CERF WITH A CERTIFICATE.
IT IS CALLED THE CYBER KEY TO THE CITY.
AND I WISH TO PRESENT IT ON BEHALF OF THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR UNFORTUNATELY COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY.
CITY LINK, NEIL DEWITT, AND INTERNET NEW ZEALAND, COLIN JACKSON AND KEITH DAVIDSON.
THIS CERTIFICATE AWARDS VINT WITH FREE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IN NEW ZEALAND.
IT COULD FETCH QUITE A HIGH PRICE ON "TRADE ME."
[ LAUGHTER ]
>>HON DAVID CUNLIFFE: AND I WONDERED IF IT MEANT HE WAS GOING IN ON NARROWBAND OR IF THE STOCK TAKE WAS ALREADY WORKING BETTER THAN I THOUGHT.
ANYWAY, WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND, VINT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TENA KOTO. TENA KOTO. TENA KOTO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU.
>>HON. DAVID CUNLIFFE: IT'S A BIG KEY.
>>VINT CERF: WELL, GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO START THIS FORMAL OPENING OF THE ICANN MEETING. I WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY INTERNETNZ, COLIN JACKSON AND KEITH DAVIDSON ESPECIALLY FOR THE EFFORTS THEY AND THEIR COLLEAGUES HAVE PUT FORTH TO WELCOME US HERE AND TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR US TO MEET.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MINISTER CUNLIFFE FOR A SPEECH WHICH I WISH I HAD GIVEN MYSELF. A MOST THOUGHTFUL AND POINTED REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON HERE AT ICANN.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MINISTER LABAN'S WORK, PARTICULARLY WITH THE PACIFIC ISLAND MINISTERS WHO WILL BE MEETING HERE. IT IS A SPECIAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO ATTEND PART OF THAT MEETING, HAVING SPENT SOME TIME VISITING THE OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS, AS SOME OF YOU, I'VE TOLD BEFORE, I VISITED KIRIBAS AND FIJI LAST YEAR, AND THE SENSE I HAD WAS ONE OF GREAT NEED FOR BETTER ACCESS TO INTERNET TO COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES, AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. NOTHING COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR ECONOMIC REASONS, BUT ALSO TO BRING THOSE CULTURES AND SOCIETIES CLOSER TO THE REST OF THE WORLD FROM THE MIDST OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CHALLENGING THE MINISTERS WHO ARE MEETING HERE WITH THE IDEA THAT COOPERATING TOGETHER, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO CREATE FAR BETTER COMMUNICATION ASSETS FOR EACH OF THOSE ISLAND COUNTRIES THAN WORKING INDEPENDENTLY, BY ACTUALLY AGGREGATING THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND DEMANDING FAR BETTER AND HIGHER CAPACITY INTERNET SERVICES THAT COULD BE DISTRIBUTED BY SATELLITE, AND POSSIBLY ALSO BY CABLE, UNDERSEA CABLE, TO THOSE COUNTRIES.
WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK BEFORE US, AND MINISTER CUNLIFFE HAS ALREADY OUTLINED SOME OF IT. I WON'T TAKE MORE TIME WITH THAT. I THINK PAUL MAY HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY TO US AS WELL.
BUT I WANT TO UNDERSCORE, AS STRONGLY AS I POSSIBLY CAN, THE MESSAGE THAT MINISTER CUNLIFFE SO BEAUTIFULLY RENDERED. THAT IS, THAT INNOVATION IS A KEY TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. AND IF WE CREATE AN INTERNET WHICH IS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE, AND WELCOMES NEW IDEAS AND NEW APPLICATIONS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
IF, INSTEAD, WE SHUT THE INTERNET DOWN BY TREATING IT AS A CONTROLLED ASSET WHICH IS LIMITED ACCESS TO THE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY, WE ONLY HARM OURSELVES AND OUR ECONOMIES.
SO LET ME THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR COMING SO FAR FROM YOUR HOMES TO VISIT HERE, TO WORK HERE FOR THIS WEEK.
I HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU WILL FIND TIME TO VISIT NOT ONLY IN WELLINGTON BUT OTHER PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. IF YOU HAVEN'T SAMPLED THE PINOT NOIR, YOU SHOULD DO SO BUT DON'T DRIVE AFTER THAT. YOU WILL JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN AND RELAX.
SO LET ME THANK YOU ALL AGAIN MINISTER CUNLIFFE FOR THIS WONDERFUL WELCOME TO THE CITY.
I WONDER, PAUL, IF YOU COULD COME HERE AND BRING THAT BAG AND MINISTER CUNLIFFE WOULD KINDLY JOIN ME AGAIN AT THE STAGE, I HAVE A SMALL TOKEN TO OFFER, TOO, AS A REMEMBRANCE OF YOUR INVITATION TO BE HERE IN WELLINGTON.
IT'S JUST A SIMPLE -- A SIMPLE CRYSTAL GLOBE THAT REMINDS US THAT THOUGH FAR AWAY FROM MANY OF US, YOU ARE CLOSE TO US IN SPIRIT AND ON THE NET.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>VINT CERF: SO LET ME ASK PAUL TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK.
PAUL TWOMEY, THE CEO OF ICANN.
>>PAUL TWOMEY: THANK YOU, VINT. WELCOME MINISTERS.
MINISTER CUNLIFFE, UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE ACTUALLY GIVEN MY SPEECH SO I ACTUALLY HAVE TO REARRANGE IT BECAUSE MOST OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT ICANN YOU ACTUALLY TOLD US BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE. THIS IS SOME SMALL SELECTION OF THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I SUPPOSE SEEING THAT YOU ARE SO WELL BRIEFED, I MIGHT JUST MOVE ON TO SAY THAT ICANN WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS VERY STRONGLY OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND REALLY OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, SINCE THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF THE DISCUSSIONS. SO GOVERNMENTS AND PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS.
BUT PARTICULARLY, YOUR GOVERNMENT. THE SUPPORT HAS BEEN VERY NOTICEABLE. AND IF I CAN SAY PERSONALLY, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN AND LEADERSHIP THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN IN A NUMBER OF ARENAS, INCLUDING IN THE WSIS. I WANT TO THANK ONE OF YOUR OFFICIALS WHO HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE, FRANK MARCH, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF THE ROLE HE HAS PLAYED FOR YOU REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND BUT ALSO YOUR MAKING HIM AVAILABLE TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE WORKING GROUP ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE.
I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR SPEECH ARE ISSUES THAT ARE, WHILE LOCAL, HAVE GLOBAL RESONANCES. AND ICANN IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES ON THE INTERNET WHICH DOES NOT CONTROL THE INTERNET, BUT WHICH IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE DO COME TOGETHER TO TRY TO COORDINATE SOME ASPECTS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH ARE TRULY GLOBAL, THAT DON'T KNOW BOUNDARIES. AND FOR THOSE OF US IN THE ANTIPODES, I THINK THAT SORT OF TECHNOLOGY IS A VERY GOOD THING, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF THE DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK, THERE WILL BE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NEW TLDS, BOTH AROUND WE PRESENTLY HAVE THE SPONSORED TLDS BUT ALSO A MORE GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE NEW TLDS, CONTINUE TO HAVE A VERBALIZATION, AND, IF SO, HOW DO WE HANDLE THOSE. SIMILARLY, THERE'S DISCUSSIONS CONTINUING ABOUT AN AREA THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR REGION HERE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL INTERNATIONALIZED DOMAIN NAMES; THAT IS THE PUTTING DOMAIN NAMES AND CHARACTERS APART FROM ROMAN CHARACTERS, OR IN ROMAN CHARACTERS USING THE VARIOUS DIERESIS AND DIACRITICAL MARKINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT TO YOUR PARTNERS IN THE REGION, BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE OF INTEREST TO THEM AS TO HOW THEY INCREASINGLY MAKE AN INTERNET BE BOTH A SINGLE, INTEROPERABLE INTERNET BUT ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES WHO DON'T INTERACT IN ROMAN CHARACTERS. ALSO THE SECURITY AND STABILITY COMM!
ITTEE WILL BE MAKING SEVERAL IMPORTANT REPORTS, INCLUDING SOME KEY ONES ON RECENT ATTACKS AND SECURITY ISSUES WHICH WE ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP IN MIND AS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT INTERNET GOVERNANCE. IT SEEMS TO BE A TOPIC WE HAVE TO DISCUSS ALL THE TIME NOW.
BUT I THINK THE DISCUSSION HERE WILL BE MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON LOCAL ISSUES AND LOCAL ISSUES ABOUT INTERNET GOVERNANCE, WHICH I SUPPOSE, MINISTER LABAN, BRINGS US TO THE OTHER PART OF THE THINGS WHICH I THINK ARE GOING TO BE MORE LOCAL THAN, IF YOU LIKE, GLOBAL.
BOTH IN THAT DISCUSSION AND ALSO IN THE FINALIZATION OF ICANN'S STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR, IT'S A THREE-YEAR PLAN. THIS YEAR -- THIS WEEK. AND ALSO THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE HERE FROM THE PACIFIC, AND PARTICULARLY THE PACIFIC ISLANDS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN, TO LEARN, TO CONTRIBUTE AND ALSO TO HAVE AN ENHANCED INPUT AROUND PRIORITIES. AS SOMEONE SIMILARLY FROM THE REGION, I AM VERY AWARE THAT THE ISSUES THAT FACE PEOPLE IN THE PACIFIC ARE QUITE DIFFERENT TO THOSE ISSUES THAT FACE PEOPLE, SAY, IN NORTHEAST ASIA OR IN LATIN AMERICA OR NORTH AMERICA. AND WHILE WE SERVE A GLOBAL INTERNET, WE ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOME RELEVANCY FOR LOCAL AREAS. AND JUST IN TERMS OF COUNTRY CODES, I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THERE ARE, IN TERMS OF THE COUNTRY CODES IN THE ZONE FILE, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT MINORITY IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS AND THEY HAVE SPECIFIC ISSUES.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO INTERNET NEW ZEALAND FOR HOSTING THIS MEETING. WE'LL GET TO SAY MORE ABOUT THIS LATER. I WOULD PARTICULARLY LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS FOR THEIR WORK. BUT I WOULD PARTICULARLY LIKE TO THANK INTERNET NEW ZEALAND FOR ORGANIZING THIS MEETING SO ONE COULD SEE TWO SUPER-FOUR TEAM GAMES IN ONE WEEK WHILE BASED HERE.
SO THANKS VERY MUCH
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>>KEITH DAVIDSON: HI. KEITH DAVIDSON ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU, MINISTERS CUNLIFFE AND LABAN FOR OFFICIATING TODAY, AND THANK YOU TOO, DR. CERF AND DR. TWOMEY, FOR BRINGING ICANN TO WELLINGTON.
ALSO MY SINCERE THANKS GO TO THE MANY SPONSORS WHO HAVE DONATED MOST GENEROUSLY TO ASSIST US IN MAKING THIS MEETING A SUCCESS. I HAVE ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT, BUT AGAIN WISH TO RECORD OUR THANKS.
ALSO, TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS, PIR, THE OPERATORS OF THE .ORG REGISTRY, AND THE GOLD SPONSORS, AFILIAS AND VERISIGN.
THE GENEROUS SPONSORS OF DINNER TOMORROW NIGHT, MELBOURNE IT, AND THEIR NEW ZEALAND OPERATION, DOMAINS. ALSO, I EXTEND GRATITUDE TO AUDA, THE AUSTRALIAN DOMAIN NAME AUTHORITY, WHO HAS SPONSORED THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT SPORTS EVENT. THE EFFORTS OF OUR AUSTRALIAN NEIGHBORS WILL ENSURE SOME TRUE TRANS-TASMAN HOSPITALITY AND, WITH LUCK, ALSO SOME TRANS-TASMAN RIVALRY.
MY THANKS ALSO TO THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF FX NETWORKS, ASIA NETCOM AND CITYLINK FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS TO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY AND INTERNET TO ICANN WELLINGTON, AND PARTICULARLY TO ANDY LINTON WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY ON THIS PROJECT FOR SOME TIME.
AND FINALLY MY THANKS TO THE MANY OTHER SPONSORS WHO WILL HAVE ENABLED THE ONGOING OPERATION OF THE ICANN BAR.
I HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO FULFILL OR EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR A MOST ENJOYABLE ICANN MEETING IN WELLINGTON.
THANK YOU.
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