Tasmanian Liberal Party quiet on former Proud Boys volunteer, state director calls matter 'closed'

On Wednesday, Premier Jeremy Rockcliff asked the party to investigate its connections to Burnie City Council candidate Jarrod Boys, who has been linked to neo-facist group the Proud Boys.

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Mr Boys - who previously acted as president of the Tassie Proud Boys - denies his continuing involvement with the group and says he has always been strongly opposed to ideologies or beliefs relating to fascism or the like.

Mr Boys' LinkedIn account states he worked as campaign staff for the Tasmanian Liberal Party between 2016 and late 2019. A video discovered earlier this week from August 2018 shows Mr Boys reciting an oath considered to denote membership to the Proud Boys.

In a parliamentary speech from May 2018, senior minister Roger Jaensch listed "Jarrod" among others as the "backbone" of his campaign.

In that 2018 speech, Mr Jaensch went on to wish Mr Boys luck in his first 2018 run for a Burnie City Council seat, which he lost later that year by a slim margin.

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"Jarrod Boys, who is 17 years old, came to me and volunteered to be part of our campaign," he said at the time.

"I wish him every luck in what is going to be a long, successful and valuable career of contribution that I am sure he will make."

The comments prompted Labor Franklin MHA Dean Winter to call for more information about Mr Boys past involvement with the party.

"Now the evidence is clear, Mr Rockliff has to show leadership and tell Tasmanians how many Liberal Party campaigns Mr Boys has worked on and if he has ever received payment or worked in a political office," he said.

Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania manager Rebecca Digney called for Mr Jaensch to stand down immediately as the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

Mr Boys also received support ahead of his first run for the council seat from former Tasmanian Liberal minister Adam Brooks, who posted a video in October 2018 in which he helps Me Boys put up promotional signs ahead of election day.

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"Let's help get Jarrod Boys elected for Burnie," Mr Brooks said in the post.

Following the revelations, Mr Jaensch responded to the previous comments, saying he was not aware of Mr Boys' connection to the group until it was reported in the media.

"I denounce political extremism and groups such as the Proud Boys, and I want to make it very clear that extreme neo-fascist views are unacceptable and should be condemned," he said.

"[Mr Boys] never expressed radical views to me during his time as a volunteer."

Mr Brooks was also contacted for comment regarding his previous support for Mr Boys, but did not respond by The Examiner's press deadline.

Despite Mr Rockliff stating he "acted" on the matter on Wednesday, Tasmanian Liberal Party state director Peter Coulson deemed the matter "closed".

"Yesterday the Premier requested an investigation into the involvement of Mr Jarrod Boys with the Liberal Party. Mr Boys has resigned and is no longer a member of the Tasmanian Liberals," he said.

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"I consider this matter closed and will not be making any further comment."

No Tasmanian Liberal member contacted by The Examiner would disclose any further details about Mr Boys' involvement with the party.

It remains unclear when Mr Boys ceased being a Tasmanian Liberal member.

It also remains unclear what the extent of his roles were within the party, the full extent of the ministers he worked under and the number of campaigns he contributed to.

Excluding Mr Boys, there is no suggestion any person or organisation named in this article has any affiliation with the Tassie Proud Boys or the wider Proud Boys movement.

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