ICANN says it is broke. So broke it cannot support any staff for the DNSO (even as ICANN's staff grows). So broke it can't do anything for end-user groups, or non-commercial groups, neither of whom have expense accounts like the industry-funded lawyers and lobbyists who swarm ICANN meetings and occupy many of the leading roles in its councils.

But when the GAC needs money, ICANN heeds the call and sends US$75,000. Does ICANN have the guts to bring this radical change to the entire Board? Does it have the guts to do it in public at an open meeting? Or, perish the thought, give the public some advance notice of this radical change in ICANN's funding strategy (that's your domain name tax dollar at work, folks--it all comes from domain name registration fees in the end). No. It's done the way ICANN's embarrassing expenditures are always done: at secret meetings of the rump, the Executive Committee.

Here's the text of the resolution by the Executive Committee. (In light of this, I have a simple suggestion: the committee should be abolished. Or its right to approve expenditures above $10,000 revoked.):

Interim Support for GAC Functions

Whereas, the Government of Australia generously provided both the chair and secretariat services to the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) beginning in February 1999;

Whereas, at the March 2002 ICANN meeting in Accra, the Australian Government indicated that it would be unable to continue funding the GAC chair and secretariat functions past the time of ICANN's Bucharest meeting in June 2002;

Whereas, in resolution 02.34 the ICANN Board expressed its deep appreciation to the Australian Government for its longstanding support and leadership in regard to ICANN;

Whereas, the timing of the ongoing ICANN evolution and reform process makes it essential that the private-sector ICANN community communicate and coordinate closely with governments during this period, so that governmental concerns and suggestions can be appropriately taken into account;

Whereas, in view of the consequent need for an uninterrupted secretariat function for the GAC, at the ICANN Bucharest meeting the Australian Government indicated a willingness to continue to provide services for the GAC provided it receives reimbursement of its costs;

Whereas, the GAC provides a vital channel for consultation regarding views of governments on how ICANN can best serve the public interest;

Whereas, the GAC Secretariat provides valuable consultation to ICANN staff regarding its communications with governments on redelegations and other matters;

Whereas, the GAC Secretariat acts as a valuable source of information to governments regarding ICANN policies and procedures;

Whereas, the GAC has formed a committee that is studying how the chair, secretariat, and other support functions for the GAC can best be provided and funded in the future, but that committee's report is not expected to be ready for action by the GAC before the ICANN Shanghai meeting in late October 2002;

Whereas, the Executive Committee has therefore concluded that it is appropriate to provide reimbursement to the Australian Government for its actual costs of providing chair and secretariat services to the GAC through 15 November 2002, after which other arrangements for the provision of these services can come into operation;

Resolved [EC02.8] that the President is authorized to provide reimbursement to the Australian Government for its actual costs of providing chair and secretariat services to the GAC, in a total amount not to exceed US$75,000, for the period ending 15 November 2002, after which alternative arrangements by the GAC to provide these functions can be implemented.

Here is the text of the deted posts, with one line removed.

Conspiracy? (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 14 @ 17:34:18 MDT

Something is fishy here.


Paul Twomey is [FIVE WORDS DELETED HERE -MF] He is partners with Ira Magaziner who is responsible for the white paper giving rise to ICANN (and ultimately approving of ICANN as newco).

Twomey controls the GAC. ICANN staff defers to the GAC as if the GAC were the board of directors.

Now, ICANN authorizes $75k to GAC, which inevitably will be paid to Twomey and Magaziner.

What's the real deal?

Re: Conspiracy? (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Thursday, August 15 @ 07:16:50 MDT
Given that Twomey is no longer employed by the Australian government nor does he represent the Australian government in the GAC, one has to ask why he is involved at all???

Perhaps ICANN decided ... (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Thursday, August 15 @ 14:24:54 MDT
That the best way to disarm the GAC would be to turn it into another ICANN board. That means it would need conflicts of interest, sleazy people, and board squatting.

So they get this guy then ... I could have been really catty in this comment, I pulled my punch!