Government wins rights to newzealand.biz name

By ADAM GIFFORD

The Government has won back the rights to the newzealand.biz internet domain name, after missing out in the initial ballot.

Trade New Zealand marketing and ebusiness general manager Rod MacKenzie said the Government was also pursuing newzealand.com through the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) disputes process, and may also seek the .org and .net addresses.

"The name New Zealand has strong marketing potential for this country and if we don't control it, and it is controlled by other business interests, we lose control of our own destiny," Mckenzie said.

The .biz top-level domain was created this year as an alternative to .com.

A ballot was applied when more than one person or organisation applied for a name, with losers given a right to object to the result.

The newzealand.biz name was given to a London-based company or entity, iSMER, which applied through Philippine Registry.com.

MacKenzie said New Zealand was given first right to object.

"We regard this as very important. People looking for things from New Zealand often enter the name in search engines, and they would expect if they came up with a name like that it would be official."

He said the name would become part of New Zealand ebusiness promotions overseas.

Trade New Zealand has been working on a business portal providing information and links to New Zealand exporters, which is undergoing final prelaunch testing.

Mackenzie said the cost of getting back the name was minimal.

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre