Fairfax Media understands that Senator Fifield wrote to the management of the .au Domain Administration Authority (auDA), the company that has handled the technical operation of .au since 2000, earlier this week to inform it of the recommendations.

In order to implement the recommendations, auDA would need to undergo significant reforms to its constitution, which would require the support of its members. If it fails to achieve these reforms, the review recommends the government explore alternate providers to administer .au.

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auDA is composed of members involved in the Australian domain industry and, the review determines, regularly appoints its directors from its membership with potentially little regard for their capabilities.

The company has a history of inner turmoil and resistance to governance reforms, making it unclear whether such a substantial constitutional shift could be agreed upon, even at the risk of having its authority revoked.

Fairfax Media reported this week on a forensic review prepared by advisory group PPB, which alleged inappropriate use of expense accounts by former auDA directors and employees, including a butler service and family tickets to Disneyland. The auDA’s new chairman, Chris Leptos, said in a letter to members that he was “briefed on a number of practices of several former auDA directors” and concluded that those practices warranted referral to the Victoria Police.

PPB also, in a report dated December 2017, found there had been “systemic and persistent governance deficiencies” within auDA, including a culture of mixing personal and business interests.

A timeline for auDA to implement reforms, seen by Fairfax Media, requires auDA to begin consultation and planning almost immediately, and to begin amending the constitution within six months. The auDA would also be required to give quarterly reports on its progress throughout the process.