Depending on who you ask, the umami-packed brown sludge known as Vegemite is either delicious or one of humanity’s most egregious mistakes. Australians as a whole probably fall into the former camp, as the nation’s love for this potent spread is perfectly encapsulated in a story about a prisoner suing for his right to eat the goop.
The AP reports that 54-year-old Andre McKechnie is serving a life sentence for murder. Life is a long time, so he wants to ensure that wherever he spends the rest of his days, even if it’s in prison, he should have access to the tar-colored yeast paste he loves so much. So, he’s taking his case to the Supreme Court of Victoria, arguing that banning Vegemite violates his human right to “enjoy his culture as an Australian.”
Vegemite has been banned in Victoria’s 12 prisons since 2006, supposedly because its stench is so intense that it can throw off narcotics-detecting dogs. Inmates once smeared drugs in it, hoping the canines would get confused. There are also fears that the spread, traditionally eaten at breakfast, could be used to brew alcohol, despite Vegemite’s manufacturer insisting the yeast in it is dead and incapable of fermentation.
McKechnie argues that the ban violates the state’s Human Rights Charter, which protects cultural expression, and also constitutes a breach of prison regulations requiring adequate food for inmate well-being. In other words, the guy is claiming that Vegemite is an emotional support spread and that not allowing him to have it is damn near a human rights violation. It’s an argument as bold as Vegemite itself.
McKechnie’s case heads to trial next year. Until then, Victoria’s prisons remain Vegemite-free in a nation where Vegemite can be found in more than 80 percent of households.
The post An Australian Inmate Is Suing for His Right to Eat Vegemite in Prison appeared first on VICE.
