Outspoken senator Jacqui Lambie has called on Australians to protest against a small pay rise for Defence personnel by turning their backs on Coalition politicians who speak on Remembrance Day.

Senator Lambie has slammed the “insulting” decision to grant Defence personnel a pay rise of just 1.5 per cent as an act of cowardice by the government.

• Defence pay rise ‘insulting’

A collective protest by veterans and their supporters on November 11 ignoring Abbott government speakers would pressure them into caving in, she said.

“Their actions regarding Defence pay clearly show that they don’t care or they are cowards,” the Palmer United Party senator said in a statement on Wednesday.

The defence pay deal was signed off on Monday, prompting outrage from Defence personnel.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said the increase is all the government can afford under the current budget situation.