Australia’s caravan industry is set to undergo significant changes as new compliance laws come into effect on July 1. These laws, aimed at ensuring safety and quality, will require caravans and campers weighing up to 4500kg to hold federal government approvals.
This will make them more easily traceable and searchable via a publicly accessible database, particularly for product recalls and other safety reasons.
However, not all caravan brands are expected to be up to speed by the deadline. A significant number of the approximately 200 RV builders and importers operating in Australia are not expected to meet the July 2023 cut-off for the new RVSA rules.
This could result in a potential ‘minefield’ for buyers as the last of the ‘self-certified’ and potentially unregistrable caravans are sold off the showroom floors to unsuspecting buyers after July 1, as reported by Caravan Camping Sales.
Gerard Waldron, the Melbourne boss of the Track Group, which manufactures Pioneer, Track Trailer, and Trakmaster campers and caravans, has expressed frustration at the delays in implementing these laws.
He believes that the delays have given an unfair advantage to those who aren’t doing the right thing, while those who were prepared for the changes have been left waiting.
The new laws will require manufacturers to demonstrate control over the design and manufacture of their caravans. This includes submitting details of their quality processes and demonstrating good traceability. For example, if a fault is found with a particular type of axle, it will be easier to identify which vehicles have those axles and locate them for recall.
The new laws could pose a significant challenge for smaller manufacturers and importers. Not everyone has the technical capability to comply with the new requirements, and there are additional costs involved. Waldron suggests that most major players in the industry would have preferred the laws to have been implemented a year ago.
The new laws will also affect the registration of caravans. From July 1, it will not be possible to register a trailer that doesn’t have a Type Approval and has not gone through the government sign-off. This applies to anyone supplying more than four caravans or campers a year.
Waldron warns that buyers could face issues if they purchase a non-Type approved caravan that hasn’t been registered by the dealer after July 1. He suggests that buyers should be able to identify a Type Approved caravan by a separate number on the build plate and through a publicly searchable register.
The introduction of these new laws is likely to lead to a consolidation of the industry. The increased regulatory requirements and the associated costs could prove too much for smaller operators. However, Waldron believes that this could be a good thing for consumers, as it will ensure a higher standard of quality and safety in the industry.
The new compliance laws set to come into effect on July 1 will have a significant impact on Australia’s caravan industry. While they may pose challenges for some operators, they are ultimately aimed at ensuring a higher standard of safety and quality for consumers.