One of NZ's Finest

Touch New Zealand referee, Andrew Timoti, has been awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for 'services to touch rugby'. Andrew has played a significant part in referees development in Rotorua, and the wider Bay of Plenty, but also at a national and international level.

A Touch NZ Referee from 1993 to 2007, Andrew has been an International Referee from 1997 to 2007 with appointments to a number of Trans-Tasman Series during this period of time, including World Cup events in Sydney 1999; Youth World Cup - Auckland 2001; World Cup - Japan 2003; Youth World Cup - Brisbane 2005 where he was ranked the No 1 Referee, and finally in the World Cup in South Africa in 2007 where he was again ranked the No 1 Referee. He was also the No 1 ranked Referee at the 2005 Touch NZ All Nations Championships.

Andrew received his black badge qualification in 2000, and was New Zealandâ€−s No 1 Referee from 2004 to 2007 - whereupon he retired from National Refereeing at the March 2007 National Championships.

The New Zealand Order of Merit, an Order of Chivalry, was instituted by Royal Warrant, dated 30 May 1996, and comprises five levels. On 10 April 2000 it was announced that The Queen had approved the discontinuation of titles (knighthoods and damehoods) within the Order and that in light of this decision had approved new designations for the first and second levels of the Order. This move was in line with the recommendations of the 1995 Prime Ministerâ€−s Honours Advisory Committee. The Royal Warrant giving effect to the changes is dated 18 May 2000 and the first appointments to the re-designated levels were made in The Queenâ€−s Birthday Honours issued on 5 June 2000.

The Order is "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."

The Queen is Sovereign, and the Governor-General Chancellor of the Order. There is also a Secretary & Registrar (Clerk of the Executive Council) and a Herald (New Zealand Herald of Arms) of the Order. The first appointments to the Order were made in The Queenâ€−s Birthday Honours announced on 3 June 1996

.