*Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story used a photo which included Cr Danielle Maltman. Cr Maltman had given her apologies well in advance of the meeting, so the photo has been replaced.
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A last-minute vanishing act has seen the actions of Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson and councillors Adam Roberts and Josh Slade labelled "petty" and "disrespectful".
Just minutes before a council-run public forum on March 13, the openly aligned councillors gave their apologies.
This is despite members of the public and fellow councillors seeing Crs Pinson, Roberts and Slade, outside the council chamber moments earlier.
The regular forum is held on the Monday before council's monthly meeting. Six members of the public had registered this month, expecting to address the full council.
Les Mitchell said he was "shocked" to see only four councillors in the chamber and one attending via video link.
"I did see three of the councillors who were absent from the forum just outside the council meeting room immediately prior to the forum. They were Cr Josh Slade, Cr Adam Roberts and Mayor Peta Pinson," he said.
Mr Mitchell said his concern is that if the public is making the effort to address councillors on important matters, councillors should try and return the favour.
"No explanation or apology was given for their absence at the forum," he said.
"Obviously I understand if there are genuine reasons why they can't be there, but to not be given any explanation was pretty stark.
"I believe their unexplained absence was disrespectful to community members who make an effort to engage in important council business by addressing councillors about meeting agenda items."
In an interview with Mayor Peta Pinson the following day, in her capacity as Nationals candidate for the seat of Port Macquarie, the Port Macquarie News asked what had occurred at the public forum.
"I have no comment to make on that," she said.
Cr Lipovac said the only difference to previous public forums was the new seating arrangement.
"[There was a] positional swap between councillors Sheppard and Roberts," he said.
Cr Sheppard was recently elected to replace Cr Roberts as deputy mayor.
"If this is the underlying basis behind their refusal to be involved, then most people would agree it sounds like a petty reason.
"If there was something more substantial, then ratepayers and fellow councillors deserve to know."
Cr Lipovac said he had also "noticed Mayor Peta Pinson, Cr Roberts and Cr Slade in the building earlier", but said he had not seen Cr Maltman.
At 5.05pm, five minutes after the meeting was due to start, Cr Lipovac said they were informed that Cr Pinson, Roberts, Slade and Maltman would not be attending.
"No reason was provided," he said.
"Without knowing the actual reasons behind their non-attendance, it's difficult to pinpoint what the issue was; considering it appeared everyone arrived for the meeting well in advance of the starting time."
Cr Sheppard stepped in to chair the public forum in the mayor's absence.
In a later social post, Cr Sheppard said she was "delighted" that her first official duty as deputy mayor was to chair the public forum.
"Public forum is where community members can speak to councillors about decisions coming up to the council meeting," she said.
"With Peta giving her apologies shortly before the meeting, I was privileged to take the chair."
Cr Sheppard said she's grateful to be part of a "passionate community" who are willing to give their time to engage with councillors.
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