In brief
A convicted murderer serving a life sentence in Victoria has lost an appeal that would have lifted the prison's ban on the iconic Australian yeast spread. Andre McKechnie argued that the prohibition denied him a right to enjoy a staple of his heritage and breached a law mandating food that supports inmate wellbeing. State officials maintain that Vegemite can mask contraband and disrupt drug‑search dogs, justifying the ban. A Supreme Court judge rejected McKechnie's claim, noting that cultural liberties are curtailed during a life sentence. The dispute over Vegemite even sparked an international row last year when a Canadian café was forced to pull the spread from its shelves.
A convicted murderer serving a life sentence in Victoria has lost an appeal that would have lifted the prison's ban on the iconic Australian yeast spread.
Andre McKechnie, 54, argued that the prohibition denied him a right to enjoy a staple of his heritage and breached a law mandating food that supports inmate wellbeing.
State officials maintain that Vegemite can mask contraband and disrupt drug-search dogs, justifying the ban. The rule, first enacted in 2006, also applies to jails in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
A Supreme Court judge rejected McKechnie’s claim, noting that cultural liberties are curtailed during a life sentence.
The dispute over Vegemite even sparked an international row last year when a Canadian café was forced to pull the spread from its shelves, prompting the Australian Prime Minister to comment on its cultural significance.
For more on the legal angle, see the case filed against Victoria’s Department of Justice and Corrections.
