Localised emergency information via community websites

Leonie Dunbar, General ManagerRegistrar and CGDN Services

auDA (.au Domain Administration Ltd) is the federal government endorsed not for profit body who regulates the .au Domain space

auDA develops and implements domain name policy (such as who is eligible for a .com.au or

a .org.au domain name)

Regulates the .au domain name industry

Implements consumer safeguards

Who is auDA?Who is auDA?

Engages with and educates the wider community through outreach initiatives such as:

- auDA Foundation- The Australia and New Zealand

Internet Best Practice Awards- CGDN’s

Who is auDA? ContinuedWho is auDA? Continued

Community Geographic Domain Names (CGDNs) are easy to remember locality based website addresses that combine your town/suburb name with your state/territory and country code, for example:

www.carlton.vic.au, www.broome.wa.au

These domain names have been preserved for all of community use for addressable localities within an Australian state or territory (except capital cities), as defined by the Committee for Geographical Names of Australasia (CGNA)

What are CGDN’s?What are CGDN’s?

Legally registered not for profit organisation or a special committee of local council that broadly represent their community

Individuals, commercial entities and government bodies are not eligible

No restriction on the number of domain names providing eligibility criteria is met for each

Who is eligible to license CGDN’s?Who is eligible to license CGDN’s?

What can the CGDN licence be used for?What can the CGDN licence be used for?

Solely for the purpose of operating a community website developed for the benefit of the entire local community. Content should include but not be limited to:

- Events- Community & business directory- General information about the community- Local news- Community feedback facility

You can also issue geographical email addresses to your community, such as:

johnsmith@gladstone.qld.au footballclub@blackwater.qld.au johnsplumbing@biloela.qld.au

Benefits of CGDN Community Websites:Benefits of CGDN Community Websites:

Easiest way for your community to be found on the internet through the website address itself

CGDN’s provide communities opportunity to “pull together” a variety of resources to a single unique location on-line

Allows businesses and community organisations who can’t afford their own website a web presence

Provides a “community of communities” that can share experiences/resources and the ability to communicate with each other

Utilise this communication tool to springboard initiatives and engage the community

Benefits of CGDN Community Websites:Benefits of CGDN Community Websites:

www.mirboonorth.vic.auwww.mirboonorth.vic.au

Outcomes/Initiatives:Outcomes/Initiatives:

Emergency Communication & Information:During the Fire disasters www.mirboonorth.vic.au ensured community members were kept well informed

Outcome:They experienced 7 times their normal web traffic during the weekend of these fires and the local council acknowledged their efforts and provided additional information to include on the site.

28 community websites provided for affected localities to assist communities in rebuilding

• One localised portal provided a forum for authorities to inform communities and provide links to rebuilding information.

• Collate information rather than duplicate it helped community members understand what support is available for the clean-up and reconstruction.

• Help with the healing process allowed a forum for community members to remember people lost, share stories, thank people, look at what worked well in relation to the aftermath, evacuation, etc.

• Provided a “virtual” community for displaced members where they can network with their friends.

“ “Black Saturday” websites set upBlack Saturday” websites set up::

Indicate that ideally there should be:

• One local website for community members to go for all local emergency information

• Localised content syndication – for eg. RSS feeds of localised emergency information rather than State wide

• Emergency services websites to be compatible with mobile devices to assist in providing emergency information to community members in need when they are unable to access a computer or when phoning emergency authorities that have huge waiting times.

Feedback from community membersFeedback from community members ::

EXAMPLE: RSS feeds of emergency information

Local Content SyndicationLocal Content Syndication ::

www.fernvale.qld.auwww.fernvale.qld.au

www.fernvale.qld.auwww.fernvale.qld.au

www.koonwarra.vic.auwww.koonwarra.vic.au

www.mangrovemountain.nsw.auwww.mangrovemountain.nsw.au

www.mangrovemountain.nsw.auwww.mangrovemountain.nsw.au

www.mudgegonga.vic.auwww.mudgegonga.vic.au

www.mudgegonga.vic.auwww.mudgegonga.vic.au

Leonie Dunbar, General Manager,Registrar and CGDN Services

auDA Ph 1300 732 929Email leonie.dunbar@auda.org.au