Mr Timmings made the comment yesterday in front of about 100 people in the Regent Theatre Clarkson room.
''Look, sometimes I feel disabled as a white 46-year-old male accountant.''
The comment came after Mr Timmings talked about supporting the council candidacy of Joshua Perry who has cerebral palsy.
After Mr Timmings made the comment a sense of disbelief could be seen on the faces of some of the 100-strong audience.
Following the forum, Mr Timmings told the Otago Daily Times he could not recall making the comment, and he did not intend to offend anyone.
''I can't recall the specific comment.
''I can recall my intent which was really targeted directly at people being quick to apply stereotypes and that we can be more empathetic and inclusive ...
''If people do have concern, I am more than happy to talk about it.''
Disabled Persons Assembly Dunedin representative Chris Ford said Mr Timming's comment was ''quite appalling''.
''He did make one very good comment that Josh standing should be seen as an investment in the democratic process, but he was very patronising, condescending and, basically, I think he should apologise.''
Mr Timmings needed further education on disability awareness and responsiveness, Mr Ford said.
At the forum, the mayoral candidates chose to address questions with loose themes around social civic issues such as sustainability, inequality and housing.
The need for a rental housing warrant of fitness was mentioned by most of the candidates.
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Comments
What? A white 46 year old male accountant can't feel marginalised? Stereotypical reverse discrimination. It's like assuming a pensioner with an 'educated' accent must have bags of money because he talks 'Establishment', like.
This is a bit OTT, from the disability assembly rep to say this was appalling behaviour. There is a significant section of the disability/disabled community who prefer this language to describe their situation as it is more honest. Disability is largely a social construction and many who experience it do so because society and their social environment 'disables' them...they are disabled by external environmental and social factors, and the limitations this puts on their potential. Read some of the early theory around this by self named 'disabled' academic Mike Oliver. So for many disabled people, Barry got it right!