The STAR comment was to try and highlight that radar vectors and an ATS Surveillance Service are now two different things. The CASA publication concerning the terminology change does indeed stress the need for ATC to confirm aircraft are receiving a SS using the phaseology: "identified" etc.
Here's what the law actually says (again):
"AIP GEN 2.2
ATS Surveillance Service: Term used to indicate an air traffic service
provided directly by means of an ATS surveillance system.
ATS Surveillance System: A generic term meaning variously, ADS-B, PSR,
SSR or any comparable ground-based system that enables the identification
of aircraft.
AIP ENR
11.6.1 ATC Authorisation. Except as detailed in para 11.6.2, the criteria
under which visual approaches may be authorised by ATC are as
follows:
a. For an IFR flight:
(1) By day when:
- the aircraft is within 30NM of the aerodrome; and
- the pilot has established and can continue flight to the
aerodrome with continuous visual reference to the
ground or water; and
- visibility along the flight path is not less than 5,000M,
or for helicopters 800M, or the aerodrome is in sight.
(2) By night when:
- the pilot has established and can continue flight to the
aerodrome with continuous visual reference to the
ground or water; and
- visibility along the flight path is not less than 5,000M;
and
- the aircraft is within 30NM of the aerodrome; or
- receiving an ATS surveillance service, the flight has
been assigned the MVA and given heading or tracking
instructions to intercept final or to position the aircraft
within the circling area of the aerodrome.
b. For a VFR flight by day and night, the aircraft is within 30NM of
the aerodrome.
11.6.5 Minimum Altitude Requirements. During the conduct of a visual
approach, a pilot must descend as necessary to:
a. by day:
(1) for an IFR flight, remain not less than 500FT above the
lower limit of the CTA; and
(2) for IFR and VFR flights, operate not below the lowest altitude
permissible for VFR flight (CAR 157).
b. by night:
(1) for an IFR flight:
- maintain an altitude not less than the route segment
LSALT/MSA or the appropriate step of the DME/‐
GPS Arrival procedure, or 500FT above the lower
limit of the CTA, if this is higher; or
- if receiving an ATS surveillance service, operate not
below the last assigned altitude;
until the aircraft is:
- within the prescribed circling area for the category
of aircraft or a higher category, where the limitations
of the higher category are complied with, and the
aerodrome is in sight; or
- within 5NM (7NM for a runway equipped with an
ILS) of the aerodrome, aligned with the runway
centreline and established not below “on slope” on
the T‐VASIS or PAPI; or
- within 10NM (14NM for Runways 16L and 34L at
Sydney) of the aerodrome, established not below
the ILS glide path with less than full scale azimuth
deflection.
(2) for a VFR flight:
- maintain not less than the lowest altitude permissible
for VFR flight (CAR 174B) until the aircraft is
within 3NM of the aerodrome and the aerodrome is
in sight.
It seems to pretty clearly indicate that ATC using radar
must clear you to a lower altitude to facilitate your descent within the circling area/5/7/10nm, and that the PIC
must not descend below the last assigned altitude until within the circling area/5/7/10nm.
"ABC, request further descent" 