Australian Prisoner Sues Victoria state Over Vegemite Ban in Prison
Melbourne, Australia – An inmate at Port Phillip Prison in Victoria is suing the state government, arguing theโฃ ban on Vegemite constitutes โฃa breach of his human rights. the lawsuit, filed by prisoner James McKechnie, centers on the denial of access to the popular Australian spread, which he claims is a necesary comfort item.
McKechnie,who is serving โคa โคlife sentence for the 1994โค murder of Gold Coast property developer โOtto Kuhne in Queensland,alleges the Vegemite ban is unreasonable. While Vegemite is prohibited in prisons across โQueensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and theโค Australian Capital Territory, it is permitted in New South wales.Western Australia and the Northernโ Territory haveโ yet to clarify their stance.
The case has sparked controversy, with victims of crime criticizing the lawsuit as frivolous and insensitive. John herron, a victims of crime advocate whose daughter Courtney Herron was killed โขin 2019, stated, “ItS an extra perk that is rubbing our faces in the tragedy that we’ve suffered.” He emphasized the perceived imbalanceโฃ in โfocus betweenโ the rights of โperpetrators and the needsโ ofโข victims’ families.
Vegemite, a dark-brown food spread made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract, is a staple in Australian cuisine. It’s commonly enjoyed on toast and in sandwiches, โฃthough most Australians recommend applying it sparingly. The spread even became a diplomatic issue in April when Canadian officials briefly prevented a Toronto cafe from selling it due to packaging and vitamin fortificationโ regulations – an incident dubbed “Vegemite-gate.”
The Department of Justice and Community Safety and Corrections Victoria declined to comment, citing its policy of not commenting โขon matters before the courts. McKechnie’s lawyersโ have not yet responded to requests for comment. He was 23 years โฃold at the time of the murder and was transferred to the Victorian prison system a decade after his initial sentencing.