The Government's below inflation pay offer has prompted an angry response from the Defence Force personnel. Palmer United Senator Jacqui Lambie attempted to hijack Remembrance Day ceremonies and urged veterans to protest at November 11 events. However the idea backfired and not even the Senator ended up turning her back in protest. The News Corp report quoted Mr Roberts-Smith as defending the Government's pay offer and reported him as saying "I am also cognisant of the fact the government was left with a deficit and there's only so much you can do with the money that you have". Mr Roberts-Smith appeared on Sunrise on Monday morning and said, "We understand the current economic climate, the government was left with a deficit, there's an issue around the pay rise, or the pay increase, I should say".

"We can't do anything about the pay increase because that's simply the nature of the economy at the moment," he continued. But on WednesdaySmith told Melbourne Radio 3AW "You look at some of the headlines they've put out that I've essentially backed pay deals or I've supported this or accepted that or tried to justify the Government's position, it's just absolute rubbish," he told Neil Mitchell. He said his position had never changed from supporting higher pay for the military. "I want them to have the best possible deal on the table, now if that isn't the best possible deal then clearly, I would urge the government to reconsider that and get back into the boardroom and work out how they can get a better deal, it's that simple," he said.

He said "some in the media" had claimed he had turned his back on his defence mates, which he described as "pretty disgraceful". Mr Roberts-Smith was not asked why he referred to the deficit when asked about the Defence pay offer. Nor did he say the quote ascribed to him was incorrect. Speaking on Sydney Radio 2GB he said he had never urged Defence personnel to sacrifice their pay for the budget but conceded it might be required. "Sure that's probably the case, but that's not something I said and it certainly wasn't anything I said in any interview I've given," he said.