| WORDS: MAX TAYLOR
PLAYING BY THE RULES
FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ONLINE ‘LEMON’ FORUMS, HOW
IS THE AUSTRALIAN RV INDUSTRY COUNTERING THE SUGGESTION THAT
IT IS BEING DRAGGED DOWN BY A CULTURE OF NON-COMPLIANCE?
There are no two ways
about it: there is a belief
that Australia’s RV industry
is being dragged down
by manufacturers and
importers who are releasing
to market caravans,
motorhomes and camper
trailers that do not comply
with Australian Standards.
This belief is unquestionably
being spurred by the
establishment of social media
forums dedicated to warning
the RV public and potential
purchasers about allegedly
non-compliant or otherwise
dodgy manufacturers and
importers, and providing
support to the victims of
these businesses.
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gorv.com.au
The intention here is not
to downplay the difficult
time, the emotional and
financial hardship, that these
people have experienced,
and I do not doubt that
there are unscrupulous
businesses operating in
Australia’s RV industry.
Instead, the intention is
to look at what the industry
– the Caravan Industry
Association of Australia,
the industry’s national body,
in particular – is doing to
address the problem of non-
compliant RV manufacturing.
RVMAP
It’s fair to say the Australian RV
industry has been proactive
in improving manufacturing
compliance. In August 2013,
the association then known
as the Recreational Vehicle
Manufacturing Association
of Australia (RVMAA)
introduced the Recreational
Vehicle Manufacturing
Accreditation Program,
widely known as RVMAP.
Administered by the national
body, RVMAP is a voluntary
program in which to become a
member, an RV manufacturer
commits to consistently
supplying product that adheres
to all relevant Australian Design
Rules and Australian Standards.
They also agree to random
inspections by personnel who
are well-versed in the legislation.