Hmmm..I would be careful about the 'not allowed to direct track' statement. Unless something dramatic has occurred in the last 8 months we had direct tracking written into our local procedures between 10pm and about 8am (outside RAAF hours).
Direct tracking was approved outside those times when economic benefit warranted and safety was not compromised. This was a full radar environment and I cannot comment for outside radar coverage where the changes to lat sep points and conflict entry and exit was more of a science!