Murderer sues Australian state over Vegemite ban in prison
A convicted murderer in the Australian state of Victoria has launched a novel legal challenge against the prison commissioner over the long-standing ban on Vegemite, arguing that access to the Australian condiment is a basic human right.
The inmate, Andre McKechnie, has filed a lawsuit in an effort to overturn the restriction and allow him to consume the yeast-based spread.
According to court documents, McKechnie argued that he has a right to eat Vegemite because it constitutes “his culture as an Australian.”
His complaint specifically points to Victoria’s human rights charter, which affirms that no person should be denied the opportunity to “enjoy their culture.”
The Vegemite ban inside Victoria’s jails is not new and has been in place since 2006.
The restriction was put in place over concerns that the yeast-laden spread could be used to ferment and brew makeshift alcoholic drinks, often referred to as “pruno” or “hooch.”
Additionally, the sticky paste of Vegemite is listed as a banned item because inmates could allegedly smear it across contraband to mask its smell from prison sniffer dogs.
The spread holds a significant cultural place in Australia. It was first created in Melbourne in the early 1920s as a substitute for British Marmite during wartime shortages.
In 2022, a Melbourne council even declared that the distinctive smell emanating from a local Vegemite factory held “significant” heritage value.
The lawsuit brings international attention to the highly polarizing spread.
In 2018, Vegemite was featured at Sweden’s “Disgusting Food Museum,” ranking alongside items like fermented herrings and maggot-infested cheese.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
