Coober Pedy, SA — One Nation’s candidate for the vast electorate of Stuart, Brandon Turton, spent the weekend in Coober Pedy, meeting with locals, touring the opal fields and listening to the concerns of residents who say they often feel overlooked by major parties.

Turton’s visit included time in the township as well as out on the opal fields — the lifeblood of the region — where he spoke directly with miners and small business operators about the challenges of operating in remote South Australia. Rising costs, regulation, declining services and political disconnect were recurring themes throughout the discussions.

Unlike many political hopefuls who pass briefly through remote communities during campaign season, locals noted that Turton appeared willing to take the time to listen.

“He actually asked questions and waited for the answers,” one resident said. “It felt less like a photo opportunity and more like a conversation.”

Firearms Laws and Election Silence

A key stop on Turton’s itinerary was the Coober Pedy Shooters Club, where firearms legislation became a central topic of discussion.

Club members raised concerns about what they described as the Federal Labor Government’s rushed push toward new firearms legislation earlier in the year — followed by what one member described as “crickets and tumbleweed.”

A significant question posed during the discussion was whether the approaching federal election has prompted a pause in progressing controversial reforms.

“If they’re making all these promises but staying quiet on their firearms laws intentions, you can bet they don’t have anything good to tell firearms owners,” one club member said.

Attendees expressed concern that, in a largely rural state such as South Australia, unpopular firearms changes would likely be politically sensitive in the lead-up to an election. The perceived silence on the issue, several suggested, was telling.

A Broader Political Shift?

Beyond firearms policy, conversations throughout the weekend reflected deeper frustrations — with cost-of-living pressures, infrastructure neglect, service shortages and what many described as a widening disconnect between metropolitan decision-makers and regional realities.

What appeared evident across multiple discussions was a noticeable openness toward One Nation among some voters. Several constituents openly stated they intended to switch their vote, while others spoke of friends and family considering the same move.

Whether this sentiment represents a broader turning point in regional political alignment remains to be seen. However, the mood in Coober Pedy this weekend suggested that, at the very least, some voters are reconsidering traditional loyalties.

As the election approaches, visits like Turton’s may prove significant — not merely for campaign optics, but for the conversations happening quietly in regional halls, opal fields and shooting clubs across the state.