Australian murderer sues for right to Vegemite behind bars

Andre McKechnie argues the Vegemite ban in Victoria's jails denies him the right to "enjoy his culture".

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State authorities say inmates may use the strong-smelling condiment to disguise contraband substances or brew alcohol behind bars.

But Andre McKechnie argues that the ban, in place in the state of Victoria since 2006, denies him the right to "enjoy his culture as an Australian", according to court documents seen by AFP and AP.

McKechnie was handed a life sentence for stabbing a property developer to death in Queensland in the 1990s. He served part of his sentence in Queensland before being transferred to Victoria.

In his lawsuit against Victoria's Department of Justice and Corrections, the agency managing the state's prisons, the 54-year-old said he wanted the Vegemite ban overturned.