VETERANS should turn their backs on government “cowards” this Remembrance Day, according to Jacqui Lambie.

The outspoken Palmer United Party Senator has condemned the decision to award ADF members a 1.5 per cent pay increase, below inflation.

“The only way that this insulting decision will be reversed and remedied in favour of our Australian Defence Force is if Abbott Government backbenchers and ministers feel extreme political heat,” the former soldier turned senator said.

On Monday the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal signed off on the new pay offer, angering personnel.

“The Liberal and National Party members of Parliament because of their cowardice, must be shamed into forcing their Prime Minister into delivering fair wages to our ADF members,” Senator Lambie said.

“So this Remembrance Day I invite all Australians, including our Veterans, to turn their backs on Government members if they are silly enough to give speeches, pretending that they care for our military families.

“Their actions regarding defence pay clearly show that they don’t care or they are cowards.”

Senator Lambie also called for veterans to continue turning their backs up to Anzac Day.

“While I know that Anzac Day should never be politicised — it’s clear that the Abbott Government’s ministers and backbenchers are planning to use the 100th Anniversary of the day we landed at Gallipoli, to big-note themselves and try to boost their political popularity,” she said.

“They’ll do this by using government hand-outs and delivering insincere speeches which pretend they care for our serving and former members of the Australian Defence Force.

“If Veterans turn their backs on Abbott Government Ministers during speeches and those actions receive national and world media coverage — the Abbott Government will be forced to offer our ADF members a fair pay increase.

“I have one message to all Australians that will help our ADF receive a fair pay rise — With the spirit of the ANZACs, turn your backs.”

Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday warned public servants won’t be getting bigger pay increases.

“We’d all like to pay our serving defence personnel more, but there’s going to have to be very tight pay restraint across the public sector, including with defence personnel,” he told reporters in Sydney.