Vegemite ban in Victorian prisons upheld by court

Inmates in Victorian prisons will continue to eat meals without Vegemite after a Supreme Court judge dismissed a legal challenge on Monday. The ruling confirms the ban remains in force for all prisoners in the state.

Andre McKechnie, 54, argued that the restriction violated his right to enjoy Australian culture. He has served a life sentence for murder since the 1990s. McKechnie claimed the Department of Justice and Corrections failed to provide food that supports inmate health and well-being as required by legislation.

The judge rejected this claim. The court found that cultural rights are limited by the fact that a person has been sentenced to imprisonment. The judge ruled that the department had not proven a breach of the relevant food standards.

Victorian prison authorities cited specific operational reasons for the ban. They stated that the strong odor of the yeast paste can distract sniffer dogs used to detect drugs. Inmates have also used the spread to hide contraband substances or to brew alcohol while in custody.

McKechnie was originally sentenced in Queensland for fatally stabbing a property developer. He served part of his term there before being transferred to Victoria. The same restriction on Vegemite is currently enforced in prisons across Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.

The product was invented in Melbourne in 1923 as a local alternative to Marmite. It has become a national symbol in Australia. In April 2026, a dispute arose in Canada when a cafe owner was ordered to remove jars of the spread due to health regulations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened, calling the ban odd, and the owner was later permitted to keep selling the product.