On Monday, federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan quit the frontbench to support Barnaby Joyce in his efforts to regain the Nationals leadership.
Senator Canavan left with a bang, announcing on Saturday last week that Napandee, near Kimba, would host the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
The announcement came just a day before the No Radioactive Waste on Agricultural Land in Kimba or SA rally on Sunday last week. The Kimba rally had been organised to try and persuade Sen Canavan not to pursue a nuclear waste facility in the local area, and to call on the state government to uphold legislation making the building of such a facility illegal.
Related reading: Worried Kimba locals say nuclear fight will continue
By the time Sunday arrived, the rally had taken on a very different meaning. Hundreds of people gathered to hear speeches from local farmers and former politicians, and to express their disappointment at the selection of the Eyre Peninsula location.
Sen Canavan's announcement said the Napandee site had 'broad community support', with 61.6 per cent of voters in favour of the proposal. While this is well ahead of the 47.3pc in favour of a site at Wallerberdina Station, it still means every third person walking down Kimba's main street is against what's set to happen in their region.
It has long been hoped that once a site was selected, the divisions within the community could slowly begin to heal, but based on the passion shown at Sunday's rally, and the facility's opponents' determination to keep fighting, this will be easier said than done.
Those who want to see the facility built locally see it as a potential game-changer for the region, providing long-term employment and solidifying the town's future at a time when many country towns are struggling to maintain services and are seeing their populations decline.
On the other side of the debate, those against the facility believe it would threaten the clean, green image of the local agricultural sector, putting markets at risk and jeopardising the major industry that has supported the region for decades and decades. Many are also concerned about the potential safety risks for their community should something go wrong.
While they might have opposing views, the residents of Kimba and the surrounding districts have something important in common - their passion for their community.
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