Andrew McKechnie, 55, an inmate serving a life sentence for murder, has failed in his legal bid to overturn a ban on Vegemite in Victorian prisons, arguing that withholding the spread breached his human right to enjoy his culture.
McKechnie brought legal action against Victoria's Department of Justice after being denied the salty yeast-based spread, which is banned because it could be used to brew alcohol and is believed to impair sniffer dogs' ability to detect illicit drugs.
Human rights challenge
McKechnie attempted to use the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act to challenge the ban, arguing the Act was breached by failing to provide food adequate to maintain his well-being. He was handed a life sentence for stabbing property developer Otto Kuhne to death in Queensland in 1994.
Vegemite, often considered the Australian equivalent to British Marmite, has been manufactured in Australia since the 1920s. It was developed from brewer's yeast, a by-product of the beer-making process, and is a rich natural source of Vitamin B. Victoria banned the spread in state prisons in 2006.
Public reaction
The trial has proved as polarising as the spread itself, with fans on social media speaking out both in support of and opposition to McKechnie's request. One social media user asked, "Wouldn't having to eat Vegemite be an actual punishment?" Another called it a "marmite decision. Some people will love it, others will hate it."
One Twitter user suggested death was the only alternative to a Vegemite-less existence, saying, "I would rather the death penalty than life without Vegemite." Another described it as "a fate worse than death." Many noticed the distinctly Australian nature of the issue, with one user saying a "vegemite ban is the one prison rule nobody outside Australia would fight," and another noting that taking on "the government over Vegemite" is a sign of a "true blue Aussie."
