Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2021 07:05:23 +0000
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Documents related to the decision to host the Australian Space Agency web presence on Department of Industry website
From: Richard Smith <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx>
To: Freedom of Information <xxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx>

Dear Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources,

The Australian Space Agency's presence on the web is limited to a few pages on the website of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources.

This is the case, even though the Commonwealth has reserved and can use the domain SPACE.GOV.AU, as demonstrated by the extract below of a WHOIS query on the ownership of the SPACE.GOV.AU domain:

Domain Name: SPACE.GOV.AU
Registry Domain ID: D407400000002794421-AU
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.auda.org.au
Registrar URL: https://www.domainname.gov.au/
Last Modified: 2021-09-24T05:00:35Z
Registrar Name: Department of Finance
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Registrant Contact ID: AUSGOV-REG-8913
Registrant Contact Name: Manager, Information Management, ICT Strategy and
Departmental Systems Branch
Registrant Contact Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Tech Contact ID: AUSGOV-TEC-4571
Tech Contact Name: Manager, Digital Experience and Engagement, Communications
Branch
Tech Contact Email: xxx.xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Registrant: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER)
>>> Last update of WHOIS database: 2021-11-17T06:29:24Z <<<

The promotion of a national space agency is very important in the age of renewed interest and activity in commercial and government rocket development and space exploration.

It is also important to younger Australians to develop an interest in being involved and pursuing space and technology based education, research & development and careers.

Other space agencies have their own websites, i.e. NASA (www.nasa.gov), ESA (www.esa.int), Japanese Space Agency JAXA (global.jaxa.jp), which is in sharp contrast to the situation with Australia's government space agency.

The hiding away of the Australian Space Agency's presence on the web in an obscure part of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources website appears to be a strange decision and is an issue that I consider to be of significant public interest.

I therefore request the following Government Information:

Documents related to the decision making process which led to the decision to not create and host the website of the Australian Space Agency on the separate and more recognisable domain "www.space.gov.au" which is registered to the Commonwealth, including meeting agendas, meeting minutes and emails.

If this can be answered as informal request, please do so.

Otherwise, please proceed with this as a formal request under the Freedom of Information principles & framework, i.e. the Freedom of Information Act 1982 & other associated guidelines and regulations.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Smith

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