While there’s long been a debate over the taste of Vegemite, another argument has arisen regarding the beloved Australian food spread.
The Associated Press reports that an imprisoned man in the Australian state of Victoria has filed a lawsuit over the prohibition of Vegemite for inmates.
Vegemite is banned from prisons in Victoria since it “interferes with narcotic detection dogs,” authorities say, noting that inmates would use the spread to mask smells of forbidden material. It’s also said to have the “potential to be used in the production of alcohol” because it contains yeast.
However, the prisoner, Andre McKechnie, maintains he has a right to Vegemite under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act, which allows for all people to “enjoy their culture, to declare and practice their religion and to use their language.”
Denying him Vegemite, McKechnie says, violates his right to “enjoy his culture as an Australian.”
A trial over the lawsuit is set for 2026.