An Australian murderer has lost his legal bid to have Vegemite while in prison, arguing that the spread is central to his national identity and its ban hinders his cultural practice.
Andre McKechnie, serving a life sentence at Barwon Prison in Victoria, took his case to the state’s Supreme Court, claiming that being denied Vegemite made him feel detached from his family and community. The yeast-based spread, a staple in Australian households typically enjoyed on buttered toast, has been a part of the nation’s breakfast culture since 1923.
Prison authorities in Victoria have banned Vegemite since around 2006, citing its strong smell as a potential distraction for drug-detection dogs and the risk it poses for being turned into alcohol in prison.
In a 50-page ruling released on Monday, Supreme Court judge Claire Harris acknowledged Vegemite’s significance in Australian culture but dismissed McKechnie’s claims that the ban was unlawful. She noted, “Mr McKechnie’s cultural rights are limited primarily by the fact that he has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment.”
Representing himself, McKechnie told the court that Vegemite reminded him of his childhood and family life. “Without being able to consume Vegemite, I feel deprived of practising my Australian culture,” he said.
The court found that the obligation for prisons to provide adequate food for health does not extend to include culturally significant items. Kevin White, a manager with Corrections Victoria, testified that the smell of Vegemite could interfere with detection dogs and accelerate homemade alcohol production.
Victoria is not alone in restricting Vegemite in prisons; Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania also prohibit it, while New South Wales permits it in correctional facilities. McKechnie, sentenced to life for the 1994 stabbing murder of property developer Otto Kuhne, was transferred to a Victorian prison after serving ten years in Queensland.
