Sitting at 35000' I don't want to have a late level off and vector. All I want to know is what time you want me at the threshold so I can plan a more efficient descent.
One of the things that completely annoys me about AKL is the lack of early flow control. I've planned my descent at 280. If you want a slower speed on descent for sequencing that's fine, just tell us before top of descent for efficiency.
If you want me to track via kauri in anticipation of the visual, tell me before TOD. If you going to track me on the ILS tell me as early as possible or the full star, tell me.
The differences about AKL and LHR is that at least I know I'm going to hold before the approach. I have a reasonable expectation about whats going on. In Akl however, I may track via a visual approach, I may have to track via the STAR. I might be told to speed up enroute, then be told to reduce to min clean by approach so they can squeeze me in on the visual.
It feels sometimes that Approach control does not speak to enroute control enough. Cancellations of approach speed requirements is a classic example of this. One guy cancels them, to only have standard speeds stated when on approach control because your No 8.... Why in hell would I want to speed up, only to be slowed down again. It's a double fuel penalty.