The point many here seem to be missing, or unaware of, is that in many parts of the world ATC will not issue IFR RPT a visual approach. Asia, ME and EU/UK spring to mind, at least as far as high capacity RPT is concerned...and in many parts of the world that is the only type of aviation that exists.
The ability for ATC to issue and IFR RPT aircrew to accept a visual approach in CTA in Australia is an extra bit of flexibility which should be lauded not slated as 'yet another Ozzie difference' to the way the rest of the world 'does it'....with the unwriten assumption that the rest of the world does it better.
That flexibility comes with some responsibility for the crews who avail themselves of this added flexibility...KNOWING what is expected when issued the clearance
This is why many foriegn airlines don't permit their aircrews to do visual approaches and why ATC in Australia are not permitted to offer them to aircrews of foriegn registered aircraft, even if the crew is quite obviously Ozzie...allegedly
The requirements
ARE black and white and very detailed...there is just no excuse for not complying.
