Activity report Q1 2023-24

We continue to focus on developing a strong foundation of understanding of our market and our customer,  to build our work from. 

In May a significant piece of market and customer research concluded.  In June, we co-created a brief, built a plan and selected a vendor for our next phase of market research. This will be one of the largest pieces of research we conduct in this financial year.  It will be on track for completion in time to help inform discussion at the .nz Strategy Day later in the year. 

With the appointment of the Generate Manager, this brings new capacity to the team. The Generate Manager along with their team, have a mandate to generate value for our existing and future customers. Their work will be heavily focussed on gaining deeper understanding of the .nz ecosystem and the wider market opportunity.

Note: During the reporting period, there was a DNSSEC incident that may have contributed to downstream DNS issues. However, due to the methodology used to measure availability reporting, the DNS was shown to remain 100% available.

As at the end of the reporting period: 

• There were 74 individual .nz authorised registrars as at the end of the reporting period. This represents no change from the previous period. 
• There were 2 registrars with active applications in process to become .nz authorised. 
• There are up to 5 registrars that have expressed strong interest and/or are preparing an application to be submitted.

*Domains Under Management

Note: The decrease in renewals from 2022 is due to the change from monthly to yearly renewals. As such these figures are not strictly comparable. Upon the first year anniversary of the registry replacement (Nov), renewal figures will be directly comparable.

During the reporting period, there was ongoing engagement with at least one pacific island nation, to assist them in regaining more control and benefit to be derived from their ccTLD. This includes an improved policy set and operating model. At the ICANN meeting in Washington, there was further consultation with ICANN and other operators to increase our understanding of required processes and risks that exist for this supporting work we are providing to pacific island ccTLDs. 

While progress in this work can be slow and challenging due to a wide variety of factors, there is an ongoing effort to deepen relationships and increase mutual understanding and trust. These are of paramount importance for our support of the Pacific.

Share progress made with the Māori Internet Community, staff and stakeholders on SRR recommendations March 2024.

See appendix one for a detailed update. There are 15 Recommendations. 

4/15 are completed.

3/15 are not yet begun

8/15 are in preparation or well underway

Increase the percentage of funding given to partners who work within a ‘by Māori, for Māori’ approach by 10% year on year over next 3 years.

Māori Partnership and Funding statistics/info

Partnerships (confirmed Partnership funding agreements to 31 July):

• Non-Māori = 67.6%
• Māori = 32.4%

Funding and Grants Rounds (confirmed to date):

• Non-Māori = 69.8%
• Māori = 30.2%

* Please note that Grantees data is indicative based on recipient/s indicating they are Māori in the application process. This data was not captured in prior years.

Protocol to guide collaboration and partnering is consulted and published by October 2023.

Membership Plan is consulted and published by 1st April 2024.

.nz rules development has input from members and the wider community.

.nz policy

Domain Name Policy Lead was appointed during this period, with work on a .nz policy work plan beginning immediately.

An Internet that benefits

To understand more about what ‘better’ looks like for the people of Aotearoa, InternetNZ commissioned Toi Āria: Design for Public Good and Making Everything Achievable (MEA) to design an enquiry process to hear stories and opinions from a wide variety of New Zealand people about their experience with the Internet.

This report outlines this process and the insights it revealed. These insights have enriched our understanding of what diverse communities want and need from the Internet. They will support InternetNZ to undertake its mahi and better represent all of Aotearoa in trying to advocate for a better Internet.

The report was launched on 7 July 2023 in combination with the launch of the Mapping the Māori Tech Sector 2023 and Hui Kokiri.

https://internetnz.nz/an-internet-that-benefits-people-results/

Te Hapori Matihiko Awards

InternetNZ sponsored the Kaiwhakahaere Award at the inaugural Te Hapori Matihiko Awards held at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua the evening 7 July 2023 with the work to achieve the sponsorship and partner with MEA for the first Hui Kokiri all competed within this quarter.

Government Agency submissions

Safer Online Services and Media Platforms (SOSMP)

In June, The Department of Internal Affairs released a discussion document called Safer Online Services and Media Platforms (SOSMP). It represents a key step towards the development of a new, consistent regulatory system that aims to reduce people’s exposure to harmful online content, and create a system that is easier to navigate if people need to report harmful content. The document sets out proposed reforms to the way media and online platforms are regulated in Aotearoa.

To shape InternetNZ’s submission staff engaged with a range of community groups Māori, Marginalised and at risk groups,  to inform and support the community of the presence of this opportunity. Two of these sessions were promoted to members and were attended by members. The final draft feedback process for members will happen in August.

Project Plan is documented and milestones reported on over the next two years

Members have multiple opportunities to be involved in the process and development of proposed constitutional changes.  

Legal requirements are met

Membership demographics are reported on.

The activity on modernising the Constitution commenced in the quarter. One of the most essential elements to success of the work is planning our approach to collaboration, resourcing and documentation of milestones/phases.While we have commenced this work it has been hindered with ability to secure dedicated resources.

The introduction of the opportunity to become involved was shared with members and the community at the AGM and Kokiri. The team is pulling together an information resource pack that will be shared with stakeholders to support our collaborative approach to the modernisation.

Membership Numbers (as at 31 July 2023)

We have received 17 new individual and 1 small organisation membership applications since the last council report. 

The total membership number drops at the end of June 2023 due to the grace period closing. 

Activities to support membership

Since the last council report in May 2023 we have:

• Analysed the membership survey results and started considering ways to weave the voice of our current membership through our mahi. 
• Hosted a webinar for InternetNZ members on the safer online services and media platforms (SOSaMP) consultation. 
• Delivered on the annual elections and AGM, a formal report on this process will come to Council at the October meeting from the Returning Officer.

The Mana Whakahaere process of developing our engagement plan based on the recommendation of Te Komiti Whakauru Māori began this Quarter. Work started with the planning of the Hui Kokiri to be held in Rotorua in late May. However, we were challenged by Te Arawa iwi who indicated that they did not want to be hosted at a meeting that is - fluff small talk. But to sit and have kōrero; a deep dive conversation with INZ. An opportunity to hold space for a meaningful conversation that deepens our relationship with iwi and wider Māori communities or partners. Hui Kokiri in Rotorua was postponed. Using our agile process of ‘do a bit, reflect, apply the learning’ we then aligned our first Hui Kokiri with the Te Hāpori Matihiko awards. This bringing our kōrero to  where people are already gathered worked well.

At this Hui Kokiri a combination of kaupapa was hosted and successfully  achieved; 

• The honouring of past Fellow, local leader, trailblazer, Richard Orzecki,
• The introduction of Te Komiti Whakauru Māori to te hāpori Māori,
• Hosting key Māori leaders from the Māori digital and tech space,  
• The launch of an Internet that Benefits report,
• Played host to the launch of the ‘Mapping the Māori Tech Sector 2023’,
• Partnered with Te Hāpori Matihiko as a key sponsor.    

Next quarter we are looking at developing our next steps in our Hui Kokiri through links and networks newly established from our engagement and who we are in discussion round work we currently have underway. The retrospective between the Tumu Whakarae and Te Komiti Whakauru Maori identified many ways we can learn and grow. The next step will be whakawhanaungatanga with TKWM and Māori staff.

1.1. Co-design with Māori staff and other experts, protocols between Council and Management to:

(a) address issues of racism and discrimination against Māori; and
(b) raise issues or examples of personal, cultural or institutional racism to Management via a culturally safe mechanism; and communicate these protocols organisation-wide, including to members.

Options for healing were explored with two groups identifying external facilitators. 

• Staff stressed by being associated with a racist organisation
• People of colour on staff who felt they had a particular experience to process and work through