What we do
InternetNZ appointed the Domain Name Commission to develop and monitor a competitive registrar market and create a fair environment for registering and managing .nz domain names.
Our core functions
- Enforce the .nz Rules.
- Authorise and remove registrar authorisations.
- Provide a dispute resolution service for .nz domain names.
- Provide a customer services function to attempt to resolve queries from the public regarding the .nz domain name space and its operation.
- Investigate and resolve complaints regarding registrars.
- Publish information and reports related to our functions.
- Oversee the .nz market to ensure compliance of registrars, resellers, and domain name holders with the .nz Rules.
- Maintain an understanding of the competitiveness of the .nz market.
- Participate as part of the InternetNZ Group in relevant international forums and events to share knowledge and skills and keep up to date with emerging issues.
Actions for wrong doing
We ensure that the industry and consumers play by the rules and policies governing .nz, so it stands to reason we will investigate allegations of policy breaches and rules not being followed when consumers have evidence to substantiate the allegation.
Because we authorise businesses to become industry providers we can also take that right away, and restrict, temporarily or permanently those providers who aren’t doing the right thing.
We impose sanctions and investigate complaints about performance and conduct, proportionate to the wrongdoing.
The Commission can also have a domain name registration cancelled if the Register data is found to be incorrect. (Generally, attempts to have the Register data corrected will be made first.)
If a registrant of a domain name obtained the domain name by fraud or deception the Commission can cancel the domain name without warning.
The Commission has no authority and will not make any attempt to recover monies owed to the registrar or any third party. See Other Services instead.
What action can we take
- Publish public statements on the Registrar’s website
- Registrar de-authorisation
- Correction of any details in the Register
- Take or cease taking certain actions in connection with domain names, information or money connected with domain names
- Sanctions resulting from a breach of the .nz policies by resellers or others working through the Registrar’s systems
- Pay money to any party Commission experts have determined resulted in a loss as a direct result of a breach
- Suspension of some or all of the Registrar’s function, entitlements or rights
- Directions to Registrar’s to undertake or reverse transaction(s)
- Transfer or cancellation of domain names
We refer enquiries when
- They involve issues concerning a website’s content
- Relate to the illegal or malicious use of a domain name (e.g. spam, phishing, or possible breaches of New Zealand legislation)
- They are better handled by a tribunal or court
- We do not have the jurisdiction to handle complaints