NZ at Noon: Talent Ejected, Tourist Ripoffs, Grow Up

Northland has rallied around ripped off Japanese tourists Chisa Maetaka (left), Yuki Komori, Megumi Fujimoto and Ai Takada. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include a top contestant in New Zealand's Got Talent being turfed out of the show, tourists being ripped off and then loved in Northland and a judge tells a man to grow up.

A leading contender in New Zealand's Got Talent has been booted out the show after refusing to sign an exclusive contract.

A good Samaritan who helped two tourists who were robbed at Uretiti Beach is out of pocket after the robber rammed his "pride and joy" during the getaway.

Meanwhile tears welled in the eyes of four Japanese tourists who had their car broken into into Northland after a pensioners heartfelt gesture.

Meanwhile Damian Joseph Skeens, 34, was asked by Judge Duncan Harvey: "Why don't you just grow up?"

After being stopped by police for riding a bike without a helmet and for riding on a footpath, Kahu Meeuws White, 18, of Dargaville decided to spit at the cops.

A new school lunch ordering web site uses a traffic light food system to rank foods with red, orange and green lights.

Parallel-parking is now a sport in Auckland. Meanwhile there are jobs going at the Manukau Mitre 10 mega store.

Meanwhile Hamilton's Fairfield Bridge has earned the NZ Concrete Society's Enduring Concrete Award.

Former Bond Girl Rachel Grant is now in Rotorua.

A former Mana Party candidate and Green Party member has appeared in court charged with assaulting a woman and possession of cannabis.

Here's what is being done in Rotorua to combat bullying. Comedian Mike King says many people don't want you to succeed, "because they're scared they'll be left behind."

Desmond Kuik apparently contemplated drinking his own urine to stay alive while curled up in a "pig nest" for warmth.

Have you seen this man? And do you recognise these two hooded men who allegedly threatened to stab a supermarket owner before stealing synthetic cannabis.

Fines and a loss of licence can be just the start of problems for drink drivers as future employment prospects, insurance and foreign travel can all take a hit, it has been revealed.

Prime Minister John Key says the All Black's attitude fell short last week. Here's some photos of his trip to Hawke's Bay.

The number of prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication has jumped in Hawke's Bay in the past six years.

Over in Gisborne state houses apparently sit vacant while many families live in desperate situations.

Here's a video showing how they set up for the Gisborne Feast.

Wendy Brown was supposedly on home detention when police pulled her car over and found she had a breath alcohol level two and a half times the limit.

Meanwhile in Marton, if you attending tomorrow's Shemozzle make sure your car is legal and obey the liquor ban in Hunterville.

Talk jockey Michael Laws is playing secret squirrels over his plans once he leaves RadioLive next year.

A Jetstar A320 had some smoke in the cockpit this morning when it took off from Christchurch.

Even MasterChef winners are having trouble with insurance companies in Christchurch.

Justice Minister Judith Collins can't comment on what judges do in their courts but she cannot think of "anywhere" breast-feeding can be considered "offensive".

Meanwhile in Cow Lane a man was punched close to 20 times in the head by a Queenstown bar's staff.

And it's not every day you find a half-tonne piece of playground equipment floating in the Oamaru Harbour.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at noon were: #DCPC, Windows 8, #Laugh, New Zealand, Facebook, Christmas, Auckland, iPad, Halloween and Wellington.