Julia Gillard published a personal apology to Nick Xenophon this week for an incorrect claim she made about the senator in her autobiography My Story.
The apology appeared as a paid advertisement in several Australian newspapers including Thursday’s The Australian. The former PM wrote that in the book’s first edition, an allegation appeared that Senator Xenophon was “infamously excluded from university for a period as punishment for stuffing a ballot box full of voting papers he had somehow secured”.
Ms Gillard said that she retracted the allegation and “sincerely apologise[d] to Nick Xenophon for any harm, embarrassment and distress caused”.
The SA senator said that he welcomed the apology. “I’m glad it’s over. Her remarks were not only incredibly wrong but also very hurtful. I’m glad she agreed to the apology and I wish her well,” he told News Corp.
“Despite this disagreement, I respect her for her positive achievements. I’m sorry she just got this so completely wrong.”
Random House, who published the autobiography, reached a confidential cash settlement with Senator Xenophon over the allegation in February.
Source: The Australian
