They probably still have asbestos in vehicles.

It is difficult not to buy Chinese. My Pirelli AT Plus tyres are made in China.

Our Birko 750 watt kettle (ideal low load for caravans) is made in China.

My Sony phone is made in Japan but the packaging is made in China & was shipped from Hong Kong. So you can't win!

Everyone has their views. If I were needing to make the choice you have I would be looking very closely at the workmanship of both Chinese made & locally made. Some local stuff is not that great.  Look at the quality of the finish, but check other things like wire sizes & how they are terminated, quality of the welding etc. I don't know what you'll find but you might think that the quality of 'cheaper Chinese' might be something which concerns many buyers. If that were so the Australian sellers will either try to avoid being open about it, or may go out of their way to show you there is not reason for concern. Treat the former with great suspicion. 

I know a chap who bought a Chinese made camper trailer. Two years after bought it, following several problematic trips & after he had had completed a great deal of re-welding plus rewired the whole thing he though he had a CT worth having. 

deverall11 wrote:

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.... I avoid anything built in China.
I laugh at all those who drive in a new MG. ....

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 Or Volvo which the Chinese took over in 2010.

My Land Rover which is owned by an Indian company since 2008 was built in 2013 designed by Ford, has some Volvo parts.

India & China kill each other over border disagreement, but at least agree on car parts!

If a reputable company oversees production quality I believe China has the capability to make quality goods. I take the approach to buy goods manufuctured elsewhere on principle... but that principle is grey, not black and white and my perception of value for money has a big say. It's like in the supermarket I will pay a little extra just because something is made in Australia and if I believe the quality is better. But there is a limit to how much. I still struggle with the supermarket deli bacon that is "made from at least 18% Australian product". I wonder which part of the pig lived here.... the water that is added, the salt and smoke flavour and the packaging? There are many products like that. I don't understand why there is not more focus on a "made in Australia" logo that actually means something.

Bringinging it back to the subject ...

I have a Grandcruiser van now 10 years or so old. The panels (and chassis?) were made in China and imported flat packed for local assembly. The quality is excellent. Some Grandcruisers were fully manufactured and assembled in China and I have heard some tales of abysmal quality.

So to answer NoelB's question, I would be assessing how well you think the local company oversees the quality and manages the final build, and would not be put off just because the components were manufactured there. Then decide how much extra you are prepared to contribute to help keep an Australian business alive, or to avoid paying money to China.

To answer the OP's question: It is not a matter of Australian, Chinese or Calathumpian; The quality of the "Build" and the "Integrity" of the Dealer (who is ultimately responsible for rectification of all defects and ACL Compliance).

Noel, may I suggest you familiarise yourself with the Technical Reports and Buyer Checklists that are available at absolutely no cost on Caravan Council of Australia Website see: www.caravancouncil.com.au/

If the budget can stretch to Trackmaster, Evernew, Kedron; Thats the safest option but these caravans are heavy and beyond the towing capacity of most "Utes", particularly if you order a van with ensuite and all the bells and whistles.

We have an (6.3 meter) Evernew : It is luxurious and very comfortable (a house on wheels) and we are very happy with our choice. Only problems experienced has been driver error induced snagging awning on a post whilst turning.

As others have said, it's not as simple as Chinese versus local. It's about the quality of materials used, the skill of the tradesman, quality control processes, and after sales service - no matter where it's made.

I used to work for an Australian company who made boats in China and I have to say I was in awe of the skill of the Chinese welders and carpenters, especially considering they worked twelve hour shifts six days a week for a tenth of what Australian tradesmen are paid.

Meanwhile I recently bought a camper trailer from an Australian company who make a big deal of their 'Australian Made' credentials but the quality of the welding was appalling, and I later found out they'd taken on a lot of new inexperienced staff and bumped up production (and prices) to take advantage of the Covid boom in camper sales. Plain greed on their part with no consideration for the customer, or their long term reputation.

The conundrum, of course, is that it's more difficult to scrutinise the production processes when they are half way around the world, and by the time it hits the showroom in Australia inferior materials and bad construction techniques are much more difficult to spot. We used to invite potential boat buyers to inspect the factory in China before they placed an order, but that's easier to justify with a million dollar boat than a caravan costing a tenth of that! So, you just have to do your due diligence - inspect the finished product with a fine tooth comb, ask probing questions of the dealer about materials used, construction techniques, and talk to owners about common problems and after sales service.

One thing I'd add is that even with the well made Chinese product they tend to be heavier as it's easier and cheaper to overbuild for strength than it is to design for strength AND lightness (it was the same in the boating industry). It also tends to be more difficult to get spares, parts and repairs done as the factory is over the other side of the world and the importer/dealer has little control over parts. You need to factor that in when you look at the price saving and decide for yourself whether it's worth it. Having been burnt with a European made caravan that was too expensive to repair after a minor accident because of unavailability and price of spare parts, that's why I went for Australian built this time around, but I have to say the design and quality of build was much inferior to my European caravan!

Avoiding Chinese made these days is nigh on impossible. We avoid anything electrical if we can and there is absolutely no way that we would buy a Chinese made vehicle no matter how well it is made or the price. When they lift their tariffs on our goods then, maybe. No forget that last word, I am far too old to change my Paj it will surely see me out!

There are some country's ruling elite that cannot handle criticism of any kind, even when they are obviously doing the wrong thing. Skins as soft as a Peach. Their expansion into the islands should be a warning to every pacific nation.

I agree with Greg 1 the Chinese can build excellent quality. I also was involved in importing aluminium extrusions, stainless steel castings and toughened glass in a previous life. The secret is to have regular factory audits/visits, specify the standard you want and be prepared to allow the factory to make a fair profit. If you demand a super low price they will not disappoint but the quality probably will. Caravans are a commodity like everything else so the quality/price rule applies. In my experience a fair percentage of the components in AU made vans are made in China.