At Identity Digital Australia, our primary mission is keeping the .au domain space secure, resilient, and accessible for all Australians. But true digital strength requires more than technical infrastructure, it comes from active participation in our multi-stakeholder ecosystem.
On September 22-23 we were proud to again support the Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF) held in Canberra. This annual event brings together voices from government, industry, civil society, and First Nations communities to address challenges facing our digital environment.
Internet resilience in Australia and Beyond
As sponsors of Session 1, Internet Resilience in Australia and Beyond, we were eager to listen as regional leaders explored how to keep Australia connected while facing modern cyber threats, natural disasters, and internet fragmentation.
Narelle Clarke, CEO of Internet Association of Australia moderated a discussion between Identity Digital’s Ram Mohan, Bruce Tonkin (auDA), Chris Horlyck (Australian Signals Directorate), Ellen Strickland (Brainbox Institute) and Andrew Molivurae (TRBR Vanuatu).
Key insights from the discussion included:
- Securing the edges, not isolating the core: Ram emphasised that internet failure occurs at the weakest link, not at national borders. While nations have a right to secure domestic critical infrastructure (such as under Australia's SOCI Act), security must be anchored to open, global, and interoperable protocols.
- Multi-layer system diversity: Panelists highlighted that technical resilience relies on multi-cloud portability, offline encryption readiness and Operating System diversity to prevent single-vendor outages.
- Physical Infrastructure Realities: From subsea cable maintenance reliance to local vulnerabilities, it was agreed that physical risks require active operational hardening, and regionally focused forums are a necessity.
- The "5 R" Framework: Ellen highlighted that technical tools must be wrapped in a 5 R model surrounding Robustness, Redundancy, Rapidity, Resourcefulness, and Relationships. She explained that across all sectors, human relationships and collaborative scenario testing remain the most critical assets in a crisis.
Driving First Nations inclusion and NextGen policy initiatives
But what is a resilient technical network if communities cannot access or shape it?
In a hands-on workshop format, the auIGF First Peoples Internet Governance and Policy Fellows guided participants through a roadmap for a proposed Indigenous Connectivity Roadshow. The interactive session put community-led digital inclusion front and centre, driving home three essential pillars for true digital equity in remote and regional Australia:
- Community Ownership: Empowering First Nations communities to lead, design, and manage their own local communications solutions.
- Essential Infrastructure: Treating digital connectivity as vital public infrastructure alongside healthcare, emergency services, and education.
- Data Sovereignty: Embedding cultural safety and Indigenous data governance into every layer of technology deployment.
Another highlight of this year's forum was the contribution of emerging leaders through the auDA Fellows and Next Gen Taskforce sessions. From deep-dive research to exploring the Digital Duty of Care, these initiatives are empowering the next generation of digital leaders. Their energy, fresh perspectives, and dedication to addressing online harms prove that the future of Australia’s internet governance is in capable hands.
Our Commitment
As Registry Services Provider for the .au domain space, Identity Digital Australia remains committed to upholding global standards of security, availability, and openness.
Whether advocating for open, interoperable global frameworks on the international stage or supporting local initiatives that ensure every Australian community has a voice online, we believe an open and resilient internet is one built together.
Thanks to everyone involved in shaping this critical event, the insights shared this year were exceptional.
Have a question? Contact us at marketing@identitydigital.au
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