Should criminals be allowed the softening joys of favourite foods and longed for staples? The overcooked roast, the undercooked dumpling? And, for Australians, a foodstuff (hardly a food) so reprehensible it would draw disapproval from any respectable panel from UNESCO? Last month, Andre McKenchnie, a convicted murderer detained at Victoria’s Barwon Prison, attempted to test the judicial waters that not being allowed to consume the famous yeast spread of Vegemite was a denial of human rights under the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act, specifically the right to “enjoy his culture” as an Australian. The state of Victoria banned Vegemite in 2006 citing concerns that it impaired the effectiveness of narcotic detection dogs. Another concern was that its yeast properties gave the potential to be used in making alcohol.