Increased compliance focus on low ATM trailers

Earlier in the year, Caravan Industry Association of Australia held several meetings with the Federal Department to discuss compliance and enforcement activity within our industry.

During these meetings, the Department indicated it would be increasing its focus on low ATM trailers, including caravans and camper trailers.

This message has been reaffirmed by the Department, with a number of investigations either completed or currently underway within our sector.

The Department has also indicated it will be stepping up its activity at caravan and camping shows, sending some of its investigative engineers to conduct ADR checks on products.  Its observations will then be forwarded to the Department’s compliance and enforcement team for follow-up.    

The Department presented to industry businesses at the recent Caravan Industry National Conference, telling them that a new team had been created. This team intends to conduct a greater number of inspections on low ATM trailers during 2025 and beyond. 

We are also aware the Department is currently requesting much more information regarding evidence supplied for Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) applications. Under the Road Vehicle Standards Act (RVSA), the Department can impose a number of penalties, including the suspension of a business’ VTA.  Suspended businesses are unable to supply and register products to market until their suspension is lifted.  

This was reaffirmed in a statement from the Department.

“The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is proactively monitoring low ATM trailer approval holders to ensure they understand their role and legal responsibilities,” the statement read.

“We recently established a new dedicated team to facilitate a larger number of reviews and inspections. This new team will be focussing on conducting more in-depth validations of low ATM trailer applications and approvals under the Road Vehicle Standards legislation.”

One of the key elements of holding a VTA under the RVSA is to have control over the manufacturing process and hold a complete and active quality management system (QMS).  During 2025, the RVMAP team (all members certified in ‘Lead Auditing in Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 19011:2018’) has reviewed a number of manufactures’ QMS and found them to be incomplete or, in some cases, non-existent.  If requested by the Department, manufacturers are expected to supply specific parts of their QMS or the whole QMS for review under a desktop audit.  

To view the Federal Department’s QMS requirements CLICK HERE 

If you would like Caravan Industry Association of Australia to review or assist in updating your QMS, please contact [email protected]