It is not a two horse race - Labor wants your vote at the Cootamundra by-election

He is running in the by-election as a viable alternative to the right-wing parties and has a big ticket item that he says will be a game changer for rural electorates like Cootamundra.

"I am in it to win it," he said. “I’ve lived here all my life, and I know how much Cootamundra has suffered under the Nationals. "The Labor Party will commit to sell or transfer ownership of the Snowy Hydro power company to the Federal Government if elected in 2019, but only if the proceeds go exclusively to regional areas like Cootamundra.

"Normally I would oppose the sale of a public asset, but in this case, it will still be in public hands, and the revenue would go entirely to rural and regional NSW, some $5 to $6 billion, that far outweighs anything the Nats have promised and this would not cost taxpayers a cent."

The Federal Government's budget did announce plans to buy some or all of NSW's near 60 per cent stake in the Snowy Hydro power company

Mr Sheahan said that the "country only" revenue from the sale would only be promised by the Labor party because despite popular belief they were not as Sydney focused as the LNP is.

"I hope voters take a long-term view with this election and give me their vote now and again in 2019 when there is a good chance Labor will be in Government," he said.

"But for this election, I can only be judged on my commitments to stand up to the Nats, and I implore voters not to reward bad Government. “Labor will keep our hospitals in public hands and secure funding for regional health services, we will fight against the privatisation of regional hospitals, and we have undertaken to legislate to allow for voluntary Council de-mergers. The Nationals have neglected schools and Labor is fundamentally committed to education, we would pick up the maintenance backlogs, it’s time we sent the Berejiklian government and those Nationals up in Sydney a message.”

NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley welcomed Charlie Sheahan as the Labor candidate for the Cootamundra by-election and said only Labor would commit to building infrastructure in the rural NSW.

"Regional communities [are] crying out for infrastructure,” he said.

"All of the four to five billion dollars [the NSW government] receives from the Snowy sale ought to be allocated to building schools, hospitals, roads and water security infrastructure across regional NSW.

“This perception that Labor is not for the bush is not true when this Snowy sale goes ahead the Labor policy is for 100 percent of the $5 to $6 billion of proceeds to be spent in rural NSW, the National Party policy is to spend 30 percent of the proceeds in regional NSW. I can say to people of the Cootamundra electorate, look at the school maintenance backlogs, look at the cuts to hospital services in places like Temora, look at all your infrastructure needs, there is a list as long as your arm wherever you go, Labor will put billions on the table for bush electorates like Cootamundra because the Liberals and Nationals are Sydney focused and we are not.

“Apparently there is no limit on what will be spent on upgrading Sydney football stadiums, and that sits uneasily with me when some of the basic facilities in country communities aren’t there.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian declined to match Mr Foley's plan and said any decision the NSW Government makes on the Snowy Hydro transaction would be in the best interests of the people of NSW.

Mr Foley also called on the Berejiklian-Barilaro Government to hold plebiscites to allow locals to vote for voluntary de-mergers on the same day as the forthcoming by-election.

“Labor's fight to allow for voluntary de-mergers in councils that have been forcibly merged has clearly resonated with voters and locals will get another chance to express their view on October 14, 2017, at the Cootamundra by-election,” he said.

“Recently in the NSW Parliament, Nationals Leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro refused to answer whether or not he would allow for a de-merger plebiscite on the day of the Cootamundra by-election to create a standalone Gundagai council. Labor has undertaken to legislate to allow for voluntary de-mergers.

“In the end, we have nothing to lose; we are the outsiders, it is a safe National Party seat, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for traditional Nat voters to send a message and to give us a go. We are very proud to have Charlie Sheahan as Country Labor’s candidate for the seat of Cootamundra.

“Charlie understands the community and has the determination to fight for a better deal for the people of the Cootamundra.”