[7] Wilson was employed by the Institute of Public Affairs for seven years, serving as Director of Climate Change Policy and of Intellectual Property and Free Trade.

[15][16] In July 2020, it was revealed that, while a commissioner, he had used his Commission email account to introduce a prominent international speaker to the Institute of Public Affairs for an event, as well as arrange his attendance at the free market think-tank's functions, and to obtain from someone an endorsement in support of his campaign to gain Liberal preselection for Parliament.

Wilson acknowledged that he had opposed release of the emails, which had been sought through a freedom of information application, but considered them "utterly irrelevant" and a "non-story”, saying his support of the IPA was publicly disclosed and well known throughout his term.

Following the vote to remove Turnbull, Wilson moved his support behind the eventual winner, Scott Morrison as the new Liberal leader and Prime Minister.

[29] The council later removed the advice from their website on appeal from Wilson, since technically a House election can happen separately from the Senate and be held as late as 3 September.

[33] In April 2023, Wilson stepped up to lay a wreath during an Anzac Day service in Beaumaris reserved for current Goldstein MP Daniel alongside a volunteer who had agreed to represent her.

[36] Whilst Director of Climate Change Policy at the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), Wilson argued against Australia being a party to the Kyoto Protocol and was against any government prices on carbon.

Following the 2016 federal election, Wilson supported the legislation for a public plebiscite on the basis that it was the fastest route to reform,[46] although other advocates for the amendments to the law suggested the quickest and cheapest way was through a conscience vote on the floor of parliament.

[47][48] Wilson opposed efforts to block the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in the High Court and continued as a prominent Liberal campaigner for the "yes" vote during the plebiscite process.

[21] However, he supported the right of the public broadcaster SBS to dismiss a sports reporter who had expressed views critical of Anzac Day [52] During his time in the IPA, he pushed to repeal Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act which outlaws offensive behavior because of "race, colour or national or ethnic origin".

[53][54] When testifying before the senate committee he was unsure if freedom from discrimination should exist,[55] and that he was defending the human rights of minorities to express their opinions.

[58] Wilson argued that 18C was ineffective in preventing racial discrimination and instead asserted civil codes of conducts imposed by employers, industry and community groups would bring cultural change.

[60] Wilson argued that under the existing laws it would create severe limits on what could be said in the public sphere, for example, he claimed that a magazine such as Charlie Hebdo would not be able to be published in Australia without censorship.

[62] When Scott Morrison ascended to the prime ministership he appointed Wilson as Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics.

Under Wilson's tenure, the Committee launched an inquiry into Labor's election promise, the proposed changes to refundable franking credits, holding a series of public hearings around the country.

In February 2019, Labor accused Wilson of improperly interfering with the committee's inquiry into dividend imputations and had committed a contempt of parliament.

[75] In September 2020, Wilson was criticised in responding to concerns regarding the level of the superannuation guarantee rate for women on Twitter with "[I'd prefer that] they can buy their own home so they're not homeless".

[78] According to a study by The McKell Institute Wilson's idea would send house prices soaring and would leave most investors worse off in the long term.

[83] During the pandemic, Wilson was also critical of the actions of commercial airlines in relation to excessive fees charged to stranded overseas Australians describing the process as "gouging".

[86] After entering parliament, Wilson became a member of the "Wolverines", an informal parliamentary group that take a critical view of Chinese diplomatic policy.

[92] According to an advertisement on the front page of the 25 October 2024 Melbourne edition of the Australian Jewish News, Wilson declared himself to be "proudly Zionist".

Wilson proposed to his partner, Ryan Bolger, on the floor of parliament while giving a speech on the amendments to the marriage act on 4 December 2017.