He was a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 2016 until his death in 2022, representing the electorate of Arafura.
Costa lived on his homeland Pitjarmirra north of Melville Island.
Costa worked for the Pirlangimpi Community Government Council running the then CDEP Program from 1996 to 2002.
He was then elected chairperson of North West Regional Council from 2002 to 2005.
[2] Costa was elected into the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 2016 for the Labor Party in the electoral division of Arafura, defeating Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu.