Roger Standby, you state:
I quite often see vfr cruising through my "E" airspace and never hear a peep.
Could this be because you, or IFR pilots flying through your airspace, are not giving full position reports? Many seem to have forgotten that there is a unique rule in Australia that even when radar identified in Class E or G airspace, IFR aircraft must give full position reports.
Why would this be so? It is so the pilots of VFR aircraft (who are monitoring the frequency by mandatory regulation) can answer – just as in the old “full position” Flight Service days. It is a complete crock – trying to keep a 1930s procedure in the 21st century.
As I have mentioned numerous times before, I’m amazed that the air traffic controllers would allow this. Having a mandatory requirement for VFR aircraft to monitor ATC frequencies means that in a radar environment the air traffic controller has a duty of care to the VFR aircraft – i.e. the controller must call the aircraft if it is getting close to another aircraft and give traffic information.
In other countries of which I know, there is simply no way that the VFR pilot can work out which is the correct ATC frequency to be on as the sector boundaries are not shown on the charts. The pilot would have to call a nearby Flightwatch or ATC outlet to find the correct frequency and the controller would have to agree to provide the VFR aircraft with a Flight Following service.