Hoosten - in every comment you make you expose the ridiculousness of our current system.
Mr Approach, I wish I was as eloquent and well spoken in trying to get my points across.
When I watch the videos of the US system, I recommended, I do not see pilots doing "rapid frequency transfers from Terminal to Centre, to receive traffic, then to CTAF to arrange segregation with aircraft then to Unicom".
I don't think there is another location in Australia that exposes just how serious the flaws are in how IFR OCTA is handled in Australia, to their credit, a lot of the Terminal Controllers get you across to Centre as soon as possible, but it is still extremely busy (at times)
First there is no mandatory traffic information in Class G airspace in the US, if IFR you would be separated from other IFR down to 1200 or 700 feet AGL; that is the Centre (I am not sure what Terminal is in your email) The CTAF is the other frequency you guard and if there is a UNICOM the operator would be on the same frequency, as per our legislation.
When I say Terminal I mean APP/DEP.
So two frequencies, on one you are being vectored to an instrument approach, and if you say you are visual you will be assigned a visual approach. (If you do not want a visual approach do not report visual). The CTAF is where you will hear the VFR traffic, but if the Centre controller can see any VFR traffic he/she thinks might affect your flight, it will be passed. (In Australia this is also a duty of care issue for the ATC)
Simple huh?
If it is not hard in the US why is it so hard in Australia? My answer is because of the Class G, IFR pilots are having to separate themselves with other IFR pilots, conducting practice instrument approaches. Centre is passing traffic, but pilot has to self-separate while also keeping eyes and ears open for VFR traffic. It's no wonder that "Arriving into MNG from the South is extremely high workload when MNG is busy"
Whether people will admit it or not, people cannot handle that Dick knows what he is talking about, granted he is not a technical guru, but should he be? There was massive resistance to Dick inside certain quarters of ATC. Another problem being the minister for transport has always been a useful idiot. 8 National Party ministers for transport would be worth what? A 3rd year apprentice plasterer?
Last comment "Jandakot is a Class D Metro, i.e no separation service to traffic unless you're IFR in IMC" Strictly correct however Class D airspace was identified and codified by ICAO by observing what control towers do with traffic in the air traffic zone (ATZ), a term not used in Australia. Class D should be circuit area size (5NM if surrounded by Class E but once again Australia is different) Basically pilots either enter as approved by ATC (Non-Metro Class D) or in accordance with a published procedure (Metro Class D). Both are designed to allow pilots to self-separate while positioning for circuit entry watched over by Tower ATC, who also regulates runway movements in accordance with ICAO or National regulations. In the US these are commonly referred to as VFR Towers because IFR aircraft are separated from other IFR aircraft by Centre onto instrument approaches, sequence information is given to the VFR tower, and the Tower then segregates the VFR traffic using circuit area instructions from the aircraft on the instrument approach who call the Tower around ten miles. In other parts of the world this is ATC 101, but for some reason Australia went a different way.
Australia knows best, they do it with most things, bastardise, butcher and end up spending twice as much to rectify. MYKI Vs METRO (Houston). They simply refuse to buy proven off the shelf.
We are far too heavily biased towards "revenue generating" airspace such as above FL180, the Oceanic areas and major terminal maneuvering areas (TMAs). Low level airspace around our smaller airports where statistically the accidents happen get no interest unless there is something that might embarrass the MInister, such as Jetstar complaining about Ballina.
Greed knows no bounds, government greed, corporate greed (bonuses). And good ole user pays.