The French Polynesian government has dismissed an opposition oral question in the assembly about nuclear policy as a malicious attack and harmful nonsense.
The explosion from a French nuclear test at Mururoa in French Polynesia. France conducted 193 tests between 1966 and 1996. Photo: AFP
The question over whether the government had lied about changes to compensation terms for test victims was tabled after a court last week threw out a further ten claims.
The law change came into force at the end of last year after a commission report compiled by a group led by French Polynesian senator Lana Tetuanui.
The government response also pointed out that the group included the opposition politician Moetai Brotherson, who had raised no objection.
The Association 193 veterans group has chastised President Edouard Fritch and Mrs Tetuanui for defending the law change, saying they have helped re-introduce the concept of a negligible risk from the weapons tests.