Representing .nz on the global stage — highlights from ICANN83

Members of the InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa team attended the ICANN83 meeting in Prague early last month — some in person, others online.

ICANN — the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers — is the international body responsible for coordinating the unique identifiers, such as domain names and IP addresses, that keep the Internet running smoothly.

Why do we attend events like ICANN83? Because .nz doesn’t exist in isolation. Our domain name system is part of a broader global ecosystem, and ICANN is one of the key spaces where the multistakeholder community works together to keep the Internet open, secure and resilient. By participating, we help sustain multistakeholder Internet governance — and ensure .nz remains informed, connected and engaged in global conversations and decisions.

Presenting technical leadership

Felipe Barbosa, our DNS Specialist, presented at the Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) & Security Workshop. DNSSEC is a set of security protocols that adds an additional layer of protection to the Domain Name System (DNS), enabling DNS responses to be verified for authenticity. 

Put simply, DNSSEC helps ensure that when you type a web address into your browser, you’re directed to the legitimate website — not a malicious one — by using digital signatures to guard against tampering or spoofing. 

Felipe shared insights into our recent signer redesign and Hardware Security Module (HSM) refresh project — a key infrastructure upgrade that strengthens .nz security and helps future-proof our DNS services.

Championing multistakeholder Internet governance

Jodi Anderson, InternetNZ’s Internet Governance Lead, is a member of the ccNSO’s Internet Governance Liaison Committee (IGLC) and focused her engagement at ICANN on the work of the ccNSO (Country Code Names Supporting Organisation). She also participated in the two open sessions at ICANN — one for the How We Meet Discussion Group and another for community discussion on the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20 Review).

As the ccNSO-appointed member of the ICANN How We Meet Discussion Group, Jodi provided an update on the process during the ccNSO welcome session, then met with the Discussion Group to canvas feedback received through the recent public consultation. She remains committed to ensuring that any changes made under this process to how ICANN meetings are planned and conducted enhance — rather than diminish — geographical accessibility for Pacific nations and the wider Asia Pacific region. 

In her role as part of the Secretariat for A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM), Jodi also connected with TCCM members during ICANN83. The Secretariat coordinated a TCCM working meeting on the sidelines of ICANN83 to continue developing TCCM positions for the WSIS+20 Review. This in-person collaboration laid the foundation for a larger TCCM event that took place during the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway on 23–27 June 2025. A TCCM also presented its views at the public Community Discussion of the WSIS+20 Review at ICANN83. 

Exploring opportunities for .nz innovation

Tim Johnson, our Tumuwhanake | General Manager of Customer and Product, attended ICANN83 to learn about global trends in registry operations and explore innovations that could shape the future of .nz. He engaged with our .nz registrars, fellow registry operators and service providers on topics ranging from product strategy and customer experience to evolving technical standards and registry business models. 

Tim’s participation helped ensure InternetNZ is well-connected with our customers and peers and aware of global best practices — particularly as we look to strengthen .nz’s value to domain holders and improve our products and services. Events like ICANN83 provide a valuable space for collaboration, insight sharing, and spotting early signals about what’s coming next for domain name systems around the world.

Supporting registrar relationships

Ann Ibrahim, Head of Technical and Relationships at the Domain Name Commission (DNC) New Zealand, attended ICANN83 as an ICANN Fellow. Through the Fellowship Programme, she exchanged ideas and perspectives with a diverse global community of Internet professionals. While there, Ann also met in person with .nz-accredited registrars to understand emerging trends and any upcoming system or strategic changes — ensuring the DNC can continue to support .nz registrars proactively and deliver value for .nz domain holders.

Tackling Domain Name Abuse

New Zealand’s Domain Name Commissioner, Barb Pearse, continued her work on the DNS Abuse Standing Committee (DASC) within the ccNSO. She contributed to policy discussions focused on reducing online scams and financial crimes, and shared experiences and insights with fellow ccTLD peers. These connections help shape shared understanding and promote best practices for mitigating domain name abuse across jurisdictions.