World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Australian court upholds Victorian prison ban on Vegemite
A Victorian court upheld the prison ban on Vegemite, rejecting a challenge by prisoner Andre McKechnie.
McKechnie, who is held at Barwon Prison, argued that being denied the spread infringed his right to enjoy Australian culture and affected his wellbeing.
The ban has been in place since 2006, and prison authorities say Vegemite could interfere with drug-detection dogs or be used to make alcohol.
Judge Claire Harris said the law requires prisons to provide food that maintains inmates’ health, but does not require them to provide culturally significant foods.
She recognised that Vegemite may be part of Australian culture, but found the restriction justified by prison management and security needs.
McKechnie’s legal challenge was dismissed, so the ban remains in force in Victorian prisons.
Vegemite is also banned in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, while some prisoners in New South Wales can access it.
Victoria’s Supreme Court has rejected Andre McKechnie’s bid to overturn the ban on Vegemite in Victorian prisons.
McKechnie argued that the ban infringed his right to enjoy Australian culture and affected his wellbeing.
The court found he had not shown the ban breached requirements to provide food that maintains prisoners’ health and wellbeing.
Corrections Victoria said Vegemite could interfere with detection dogs and could be used to make alcohol.
The ban has been in place in Victoria since about 2006.
- Who
- Andre McKechnie, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence.
- What
- He lost his court bid to overturn Victoria’s prison ban on Vegemite.
- When
- The Supreme Court rejected the case on Monday, 26 October 2026.
- Where
- Victoria, Australia.
- Why
- McKechnie argued the ban infringed his cultural rights and affected his wellbeing; prison authorities cited security concerns.
Andre McKechnie
Corrections Victoria
Cultural access
Andre McKechnie
McKechnie argued that Vegemite was part of his Australian culture and that being denied it left him feeling disconnected from family and community.
Corrections Victoria
Corrections Victoria opposed access to Vegemite in prison, citing security and prison-management concerns.
Prison food and wellbeing
Andre McKechnie
McKechnie argued the ban was unlawful because he needed Vegemite for his wellbeing.
Corrections Victoria
The department argued the ban did not breach the requirement to provide food that maintains prisoners’ health and wellbeing.
McKechnie was found guilty of murder by the Queensland Supreme Court.
Vegemite was banned in Victorian prisons.
McKechnie was transferred to a Victorian prison.
Victoria’s Supreme Court rejected McKechnie’s bid to access Vegemite.
- Prisoner
- Andre McKechnie
- Sentence
- Life imprisonment
- Court
- Victoria’s Supreme Court
- Ban in Victoria
- In place since about 2006
- Prison authorities’ concerns
- Detection dogs and home-brew alcohol
- Other states with bans
- Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania
4 sources
What people are saying
Mr McKechnie's cultural rights are limited primarily by the fact that he has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
Without being able to consume Vegemite I feel deprived of being able to practice my Australian culture, sad and disconnected from my family and community.
Any odour such as Vegemite which is pungent would distract a canine from detecting the illicit drugs they are trained to detect.