He has joined the race with the newly-formed Sustainable Australia party.

"I didn’t plan on running for the seat of Cootamundra, but the party needed someone to give local people the opportunity to vote for Sustainable Australia so I put my hand up," Mr Costello said in a statement.

Having relocated to Junee in 2014 from his hometown in South West Sydney, Mr Costello has worked for the Australian Rail Track Corporation for more than 30 years.

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The 53-year-old describes his politics as sitting near the centre of the left and right spectrum.

"This election we are focused on better planning to stop over development and returning real planning power to local communities," he said.

For Mr Costello, future-proofing the communities housing and infrastructure are key items for the upcoming election.

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"Our current economy is overly reliant on property speculation due to rapid population growth in the cities," he said.

"This is leading Liberal and Labor governments to play catch-up on city infrastructure leaving regions like Cootamundra without their fair share.

Recognised around town for his role as a scout leader, Mr Costello is hopeful his election to the Legislative Assembly will still afford him time for community involvement.

"I want to stay as involved [with Junee First Scouts] as the job allows, and I believe it is important to remain connected to the community."