us eyes cooper, page-4

SXY are fine because they're a small company. It's when things get larger that Australian companies manage to tangle themselves in red tape beyond help.

We have the talent, resourcefulness and ability to make it work! Go Aussie!!

That comment suggests to me you've never worked in a major Australian resources project. :)

We do have those things - in limited quantities. Unfortunately the boom has meant that our need for qualified people has far outstripped our ability to supply them, even from overseas.

The result is a lot of people working in positions they shouldn't be in. I bet even SXY have dead wood on staff that they just have to put up with in the current industry environment.

I've also worked with American companies and been extremely impressed by their competence and above all their lack of hestitation in axing people who aren't up to the mark. IMO if we want to develop such a difficult proposition as shale in the middle of the Outback ourselves, we need to follow the American approach.

Anyway, we're getting off topic - suffice to say, IMO we don't have either the skill set or the money in this company to chase shale properly. I'm quite happy for SXY to sell down their shale interests (preferably to the Yanks) and focus on oil, with a non-operator position in tight gas like Hornet to round things out. That would be my approach to maximising shareholder value!