Yes it is about doing things in an uniquely Australian way. Have you ever thought of asking FAA controllers how they handle VFR flights? I bet not as we know it all here!
Normally an inbound VFR aircraft goes directly to tower airspace and is handled in a totally professional way.
In Aus often the pilot is forced to first call approach so lots of work can be created. Happened to me last time I wanted to call into Gold Coast at the last minute for a bit of extra fuel in the Longranger . They insisted I call approach first after I called the tower and then approach wanted to know if I had put in a flight plan. They then offered to put in the flight plan for me which I accepted. Clearly a 1930s system.
It's called " make jobs" airspace. To operate class C airspace professionally and efficiently the tower airspace needs to go out to the first control zone step at ground level.- as it does in most other countries in the world. I only got this in at Canberra and Cape Banks at Sydney.