Brian Wightman

Brian Neal Wightman (born 9 January 1976) is an Australian politician. He is a first-generation Tasmanian of Northern Irish descent. His parents William and Mary migrated from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Tasmania in 1971.

Wightman is married to Katie and they have two children, twins William and Beatrix, who were born on Christmas Eve, 2008.

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.

Brian is the former Principal of Winnaleah District High School and Branxholm Primary School and was a teacher at Port Dalrymple School in George Town for seven years before being elected in the electorate of Bass at the State election in 2010.

Before embarking on his teaching career Brian followed his father into the factory, working each summer holiday from age 15. His Father is a life-member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and completed 30 years of service at Amcor Fibre Containers.

Brian’s first teaching appointment was to George Town at George Town Primary School in 1998. He also taught at Port Dalrymple School, also in George Town, and was principal of Winnaleah District High School and Branxholm Primary School.

He is a strong supporter of the Labor Federal Government's Gonski reforms to education and is a member of the Australian Education Union.

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 MP 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.

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