Candidates for the seat of Port Macquarie left shaken after heated Lake Cathie forum

Nationals candidate and Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson, and Liberals candidate and current Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams, were escorted from the club as tensions escalated.

They and the Greens' Stuart Watson and Labor's Keith McMullen had been invited to address questions from the audience.

They were interrupted at various stages during the forum, however things became heated during local farmer Max Burt's question about the potential compulsory acquisition of his land at Sancrox.

When organisers tried to take the microphone back after he exceeded his allocated speaking time, he initially refused to hand it over.

"We were giving out numbers so people could ask questions in order and when the question time came around, this particular man went on for over two minutes," organiser Greg Franks said.

"Myself and the other moderator (Laurieton doctor Murt Ahmed) asked him to get to his question and on two occasions I tried to take the microphone off him and he pulled it away and turned his back while continuing to talk."

Mr Franks said after the man sat back down, he started "barracking from his seat".

When Cr Pinson invited Mr Burt to contact her office to discuss his concerns he yelled out, "No, you ring me lady."

The exchange ended with Cr Pinson saying she felt "very intimidated."

"He was saying things that were disrespectful and that I considered quite aggressive, particularly towards Peta," Mr Franks said.

The other candidates also indicated they felt uncomfortable.

Mr Franks asked the man to leave, which he refused to do.

"He continued to refuse to leave for several minutes before I persuaded him to come outside... to tell me what his problem was.

"He agreed to leave the premises, but before he left, a group of people there to support the IMOP (Informed Medical Options) candidate, encouraged him to stay and told him no one could make him leave."

Mr Franks said an argument ensued and that was when Cr Pinson and Mrs Williams decided to leave.

Both have declined to comment on the events of the night.

The four minor party candidates were not invited to be part of the forum. They were Silvia Mogorovich (Informed Medical Options Party IMOP), Vivian McMahon (Legalise Cannabis Party), Edward Coleman (Sustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment/Corruption) and Benjamin Read (Liberal Democrats).

Ms Mogorovich still attended as part of the audience and live-streamed the verbal stoush.

Mr Franks said the minor party candidates had nominated after the forum was organised. They have been invited to be part of their own forum in Lake Cathie next Tuesday.

The Hastings Residents Association was live-streaming the Q & A event, but has since removed the video.

IN OTHER NEWS: