Picture courtesy of Sydney Morning Herald

 

A convicted murderer in Australia is challenging a prison ban on Vegemite, claiming it violates his cultural rights. Andre McKechnie, 54, has taken his fight to the Supreme Court of Victoria, suing the state's Department of Justice and Community Safety along with Corrections Victoria. The court case, which seeks to overturn the Vegemite ban, is scheduled for trial next year.

 

McKechnie argues that denying him access to Vegemite breaches his human rights under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act. He also claims the ban violates the Corrections Act by failing to provide food adequate for his well-being. Since 2006, Victorian prisons have prohibited the controversial spread due to its interference with narcotic detection and potential use in alcohol production.

 

The origins of Vegemite, a staple Australian condiment since 1923, trace back to it being an alternative to Britain’s Marmite. Widely loved in Australia, the spread has a divisive reputation abroad. High-profile criticism includes US President Barack Obama, who once described it as “horrible."

 

Reactions to McKechnie’s legal challenge have been mixed. Victims’ advocate, John Herron, criticised the lawsuit as frivolous, describing it as offensive to those affected by crime, like himself, whose daughter was a murder victim. Herron argued that such cases often seem to prioritise the rights of perpetrators over those of victims, which he finds deeply troubling.

 

Corrections Victoria and the Department of Justice have not commented on the case, as it remains before the courts. Meanwhile, McKechnie continues his imprisonment at Port Phillip Prison, where he has been serving a life sentence for the 1994 murder of property developer Otto Kuhne, reported CNN.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Prisoner Andre McKechnie sues to overturn Vegemite ban in custody.
• Ban stems from security concerns, including drug detection interference.
• The case has sparked a debate on prisoner rights versus victim advocacy.

 

Read more international news stories HERE

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN 2025-11-19

 

 

 

I'd sue if they tried to feed me Vegemite

An inferior alternative to Marmite in my opinion ! 

Australia is losing the plot. Way too "liberal" these days.

 

I prefer Bovril.

10 hours ago, Pond Life said:

An inferior alternative to Marmite in my opinion ! 

Duplicate post

10 hours ago, Pond Life said:

An inferior alternative to Marmite in my opinion ! 

Vegemite v Marmite!

 

This one has got to be good for at least 10 pages, a slack handful of Moderators warnings and quite possibly at least one suspension of posting rights! 😀

 

@JonnyF - mentioning Bovril is just distraction!

 

I look forward to watching our antipodian posters getting stuck in...

Oh dear, we Australians are really losing the plot if this is even contemplated, let alone listened to.

If you have ever been to where the Marmite factory is in the UK, which is a small town named Burton-on-Trent, and also home to many major breweries in the UK due to the good quality of water available, you would never buy Marmate again if you are there when they are brewing up a vat full of it.... the whole town smells like microwaved cat food. Probably the same wherever they cook up Vegemite in Oz too.

As for this story though, murders have given up their rights as they cared nothing for the rights of their victims... the court in Oz should reject his case and also sentence him to hard labour for being a complete Richard, as well as a murderer.

Is 'a Richard" a male 'Karen'? Some Dicks might object?

 

Give the guy his Vegemite. Full of B vitamins. If he's not a druggie or a prison brewer (always a risk on Convict Island), there's no danger to good order.

 

Ban capital punishment. It's just state vengeance to appease the baying crowd.

4 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Is 'a Richard" a male 'Karen'?

Some Dicks might object?

Nailed it 👍

As an ex-Aussi aficionado, ie PoM who grew up on Aussi food-stuffs, was always a Promite kid. Given the option, Vegemite over Marmite any day. Can  second @Sir Dude's comment on the smell in Burton-on-Trent when brewing up.

16 hours ago, Pond Life said:

An inferior alternative to Marmite in my opinion ! 

The Australian Vegemite

Vegemite is from Australia (though it is also available in the U.K.) and is also a thick, black yeast extract spread. The difference is that vegemite has added flavors—like vegetables and spices—as well as coloring and other additives. Like Marmite it is spread on sandwiches, crackers, and toast; but in Australia, Vegemite is also used as a filling for pastries. 

Vegemite was created out of two necessities: one was the fact that World War I disrupted the import of Marmite to Australia, and the other was to find a use for leftover yeast that was being discarded by beer breweries. The creator of Vegemite, Cyril Percy Callister, blended the yeast with salt, onion, and celery extracts, giving it that "vegetable" characteristic. 

 

On 11/19/2025 at 11:05 AM, kwonitoy said:

I'd sue if they tried to feed me Vegemite

Vegimite is the health food of a nation and is made with the yeast that is dicarded after making beer at the brewery. i don't blame that bloke for missing his Vegemite because his mother would have put on his dummy when he was a baby  to  pacify him like all mothers did.

13 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Is 'a Richard" a male 'Karen'? Some Dicks might object?

the Richard is probably Richard the third, rhyming slang for turd

Just now, wavodavo said:

Vegimite is the health food of a nation and is made with the yeast that is dicarded after making beer at the brewery. i don't blame that bloke for missing his Vegemite because his mother would have put on his dummy when he was a baby  to  pacify him like all mothers did.

Whenever I travel overseas I take vegemite with me and I get a few funny looks from the staff and customers when I start to spread it on my toast in the breakfast room but I don't care because I love it.

Vegemite combined with Apple or Pineapple juice will turn to a rough and ready form of alcoholic drink.

All that's needed is a couple of weeks in a warm place to ferment

It also helps if you have no taste buds 

Australia is a poor imitation of what it used to be. 

 

It was great in the 90s before all the lefty nanny stuff. Like a police state now. Probably better off in jail than out. 

Vegan, kosher & halal!

3 hours ago, wavodavo said:

Vegimite is the health food of a nation and is made with the yeast that is dicarded after making beer at the brewery. i don't blame that bloke for missing his Vegemite because his mother would have put on his dummy when he was a baby  to  pacify him like all mothers did.

Shouldn't have murdered someone, then he could eat whatever he wants.

Perhaps the prison staff found Marmite.............................🤠

On 11/19/2025 at 7:05 AM, kwonitoy said:

I'd sue if they tried to feed me Vegemite

You are not a true blue Aussie 

On 11/19/2025 at 7:31 AM, Pond Life said:

An inferior alternative to Marmite in my opinion ! 

Really, then why did the UK government recommend Brits eat Vegemite, during WW2, because it was actually beneficial to health... Sorry, but you are wrong.

Australian Murderer Sues Prison Over Vegemite Ban, Cites Rights

 

Being in jail  you give up the Rights for what one wants.One only gets what one Needs

Inmates in Aus get Nutritious meals /food that is according to heath regulation and Nutrition Experts .

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Australia is a poor imitation of what it used to be. 

 

It was great in the 90s before all the lefty nanny stuff. Like a police state now. Probably better off in jail than out. 

Spoken by someone who sounds like they spend too much time on the internet and not enough in Australia

FFS he's a convicted criminal for murder no less! Should be charged for anything he eats & lodging when he gets out - give him bovril much nicer 🤣🤤

Ah this could be the solution to the alcohol opening times of 711,s. 

 

Just buy some vegimite!

 

 

23 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Is 'a Richard" a male 'Karen'? Some Dicks might object?

In my experience there are a lot more Richards than Karens but they probably can be equated. Do women detest Karens like men detest Richards? Would be interesting to know, provided it was a slow day.

But you can then go to the CK Heads who are Richards every day, not just sometimes.

Can this suit be any worse than one brought against a prison in the U.S. of A. by an inmate who sued the prison he was incarcerated in, because the prison kitchen kept giving the inmate ... broken chocolate chip cookies?

18 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Spoken by someone who sounds like they spend too much time on the internet and not enough in Australia

 

In fairness I am only there a couple of times a year, but it really doesn't take long to realize that the reports from "the internet" are pretty accurate.

 

The recent ban on social media for under 16's is an excellent example of over-reach by the Australian nanny state, trying to do the job of parenting other people's children.