An Australian judge has rejected a convicted murderer’s human rights challenge to Victoria’s Vegemite prison ban, ruling on Monday that the ban was justified in removing drugs and alcohol from prisons.
Justice Claire Harris accepted that refusing Andre McKechnie Vegemite "limited his cultural rights" under the state’s charter, according to a post on the r/news forum on Reddit. McKechnie, who is serving a life sentence for murder, represented himself by video link from maximum security Barwon Prison.
Harris said McKechnie had not shown the ban breached the Corrections Act, which requires prisons to provide food that maintains inmates’ health and wellbeing, according to Euronews. She also said it was "difficult to accept" that being unable to eat Vegemite, rather than imprisonment, was a material cause of his sadness and disconnection, according to r/news.
Harris said prisoners could still enjoy Australian culture by listening to local music, reading books by Australian authors and eating food that is not prohibited, Euronews reports.
Prison officials testified at a July trial that Vegemite has been banned across the state’s 12 prisons for the past 20 years, citing sniffer dogs and alcohol brewing, according to r/news. Euronews reports the ban has applied since 2006 and that Corrections Victoria argues the spread’s strong smell can distract sniffer dogs.
The sources differ on whether Vegemite can be used to brew alcohol. Euronews reports that the claim is an urban legend because the yeast is not alive. According to r/news, prison department manager Kevin White cited publicly available research saying Vegemite helped home-brewed beer ferment more quickly. That research is not named in the sources and is not independently confirmed.
McKechnie argued that neighbouring New South Wales does not ban Vegemite in its prisons, which he said showed less restrictive means were available, according to r/news. The Department of Justice and Community Safety welcomed the decision, saying ensuring the safety of staff and prisoners is its top priority, according to Euronews. Bega Group, the Vegemite owner, did not respond to a request for comment, r/news reports.
The key court findings come only from Euronews and r/news, which both reproduce details from the judgment. NPR World provided only a headline and short excerpt, so its account is limited. The sources do not say whether McKechnie will appeal or whether the ban will change.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.