The former prime minister Julia Gillard has apologised to Senator Nick Xenophon for a claim she made about his university days in her political memoir My Story.

Gillard tweeted on Thursday she had apologised to Xenophon after she took out a paid advertisement in some newspapers.

My statement regarding My Story and Senator Xenophon http://t.co/AzeRQ0bVXS JG — Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) August 5, 2015



In the first edition of My Story, Gillard alleged Xenophon had been temporarily excluded from university for stuffing a ballot box, the Australian reported.

“I am happy to apologise because I accept my recollection of the full details of this event was flawed,” she said in a statement on Thursday. “It is a pity full details of this event are not readily ascertainable by any interested person.

“Regrettably and oddly, the student newspaper archives do not hold the relevant reports on those events.”

She said a defamation claim against her was now resolved without payment of damages.

Xenophon said he was glad it was over. “Her remarks were not only incredibly wrong, but also very hurtful,” he told News Corp. “I’m glad she agreed to the apology and I wish her well.

“Despite this disagreement, I respect her for her positive achievements. I’m sorry she just got this so completely wrong.”