I reckon I've privately flown into the Sydney basin from all directions about 300 times in the last 10y.
Probably a 50/50 mix of IFR and VFR.
100% without exception been advised/informed/told to be OCTA if I'm not doing the RNAV.
Its never been an operational issue for me as I'm on descent anyway and terrain isn't an issue....
But its pretty clear they CBF dealing with me in the terminal area regardless of traffic (which I can obv see on multiple platforms and is never remotely conflicting) and the fact I'm paying via airways charges.
Even when you do RNAV you just get told radar services terminated mid approach out of the 4500 step on the YSBK RNAV into G in cloud. Full radar coverage.
Why bother paying airways for no service at the time you actually need it and the systems are there. WOFTAM. No wonder everybody scud runs.
Clearly you could count the IFR traffic in the western sector of the CFS CTA early in the morning on about zero or 1 finger.
As frustrating as this all is (ts just arse covering and corporatisation of essential services) I don't think it had much to do with this unfortunate event.