He was educated in Launceston, Tasmania and attended Trevallyn Primary School and Riverside High School before graduating from Launceston College in 1993. Brian studied to become a teacher and obtained a Bachelor of Education in 1997 and a Master of Education in 2004, both from the University of Tasmania.
He is a first generation Tasmanian of Northern Irish descent. Wightman is married to Katie and they have two children, twins William and Beatrix, who were born on Christmas Eve, 2008. Before embarking on his teaching career Brian followed his father into the factory, working each summer holiday from age 15.
Brian’s first teaching appointment was to George Town at George Town Primary School in 1998.
He also taught at Portuguese Dalrymple School, also in George Town, and was principal of Winnaleah District High School and Branxholm Primary School. Wightman was first pre-selected as a Labor candidate for the state seat of Bass in the 2010 state election and secured election as the second Labor Member of Parliament in a close contest with Scott McLean and Beaconsfield Mine collapse survivor Brant Webb.
At the 2014 state election he held the following ministerial responsibilities. Attorney General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, and Minister for Education and Skills.
Wightman was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 2010 being the 5th candidate elected for the seat of Bass.
Comparing the results between the 2010 and 2014 state elections Wightman managed to increase his 1st preference vote by more than 2000 votes, even though he lost his seat in 2014 the increased personal vote is significant given there was an 11.2% swing against the Labor party in Bass. After losing his seat at the 2014 Tasmanian State Election Wightman took up the position of Chief Executive of Cornerstone Youth Services which is a Launceston-based community health organisation which delivers services to people aged 12 to 25 in Tasmania"s North and North-West. He later took up the position of Tasmanian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia, commencing this role on 22 September 2014.
His Father is a life-member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and completed 30 years of service at Amcor Fibre Containers. He is a strong supporter of the Labor Federal Government"s Gonski reforms to education and is a proud member of the Australian Education Union.
