[6] Before going into politics, Wilson served as an Associate Lecturer at Curtin University, a paralegal and litigation project manager, a freelance journalist as well as a travel writer.

During his time as Deputy Mayor, Wilson initiated the "Fremantle Forever" campaign which opposed local government amalgamations, worked on economic development and revitalisation, and introduced an Indigenous employment target.

[9] On 9 May 2018, Wilson announced his resignation from the House of Representatives following the High Court of Australia ruling that Senator Katy Gallagher was ineligible to contest the 2016 election.

Like Gallagher, Wilson had failed to renounce his British citizenship before nomination in the 2016 federal election.

[citation needed] On 29 July 2024, Wilson was sworn in as Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy.