Jeffry;
IETF is certainly US and English centric.
The current rules of IETF does not explicitely prefer some country
so much, though many important organizations have addresses in US
and English is the language of the rules. However, the rules keep
or amplify the US centric tendency, because a large number of US
participants means a large number of IAB/IESG members is likely to
be nominated.
Moreover, English centric IETF meetings are hard to be actively
attended by people whose primary language is not English. Compared
to other International organizations, IETF requires too much in
English capability. Worse, in IETF, inactive participation is
nothing.
Having a meeting in AU does not solve the latter, English, problem.
However,
The problem I have with the Adelaide meeting is very simple. With so
few working groups holding sessions, I can't justify making the trip.
This would be true for a meeting at any location more than 400 miles
away. If only one group that I am interested in is holding a session,
I can't go. The powers that be just won't approve it.
it is a good solution for the first, US, problem.
Moreover, you are saying that the recent problem of IETF that there are
too many bogus WGs with too many people is also solved.
Very good.
So, all the future IETF meetings should be held in areas far away
from US and, in addition, where English is not the major language.
There many be an exception once in 10 years, of course.
Masataka Ohta