The requirement to declare MINIMUM FUEL and MAYDAY FUEL has been in the Jepps for a while. It applies to the big planes as well as the little ones. So statements such as:
and if you don't declare a fuel mayday it's a criminal offense. if you land with less than fixed reserve it's a criminal offense. and CASA personnel are now empowered by this regulation to check your fuel state on landing.
are once again put out by the more hysterical amongst us. Even the term "litigation reserve" is more hyperbole. Thats what your 45 minutes is for in the first instance. If as a PPL you can't organise yourself and flight plan properly that you are not going to arrive at your destination with the FR reserve intact then go and get some professional advise. As the OP stated there have been a lot of fuel starvation fuel exhaustion accidents over the past few years. Clearly fuel management is an issue.