TVNZ host Miriama Kamo says she was 'naive' over building work

Miriama Kamo and Mike Dreaver have pleaded guilty to four charges under the Building Act. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

TV presenter Miriama Kamo says she and her wealthy husband were "naive" when making changes to their Waiheke pad, which may see them stung with a six-figure fine for the illegal building work.

Kamo - who hosts TVNZ's current affairs show Sunday - and Michael Peter John Dreaver, 49, have pleaded guilty to four charges under the Building Act in relation to the property where they were married earlier this year.

The charges each carry a maximum penalty of $200,000.

The couple were "naive" when making changes to the property, Kamo said, which they eventually plan to open up to artists and low-income families for retreats.

"It's embarrassing more than anything else and we have to face the music now. We got it wrong," she said.

"It just kept evolving and we just didn't pay enough attention basically."

The charges came about because someone complained to Auckland Council, but Kamo laughed off suggestions of any Neighbours at War-style retribution.

"I have no interest in who dobbed us in," she said. "To be honest with you... I'm kind of glad we've had to go through this. We want our land to be compliant."

Her husband Dreaver, a consultant and Treaty of Waitangi negotiator, bought the property with Kamo in 2006 for $650,000, a year after they met at a boxing match.

It was revealed in 2013 that Dreaver had earned $1.5 million for his work on 20 treaty settlements in the Auckland and Hauraki regions.

The charges on which the pair will be sentenced relate to building work that happened shortly after purchase of the lifestyle block and other construction that was done last year.

The pair admitted unlawfully installing a pot belly stove as well as a "yurt" - a circular hut originally used as temporary shelter by nomadic Mongolians.

They had been quite public about the "fabulous" structures and felt "pretty silly" now charges had been laid, Kamo said.

The most recent building work in July 2014, which also took place without consent, saw a shed converted into a "recreation/reading room" and the addition of a veranda.

A shipping container was transformed into a kitchen and a second-storey sleeping area was annexed to the property also without Auckland Council approval.

Despite the saga, there was no suggestion it had made relations frosty between the Grey Lynn-based couple.

"We're married," Kamo said. "At the end of the day, Mike and I own the land and whoever made the decisions and if anything comes about in our married life we both take responsibility."

Charges were also laid against Julian Marcadere Davis who allegedly carried out the building work.

He faces a count of doing restricted construction work without supervision of a licensed builder, as well as two of completing the conversions without consent.

Davis faces similarly hefty penalties and will be back in court next month.

But Kamo was quick to defend him.

"We don't blame it on the builder. It was our fault, we got it wrong," she said.

Kamo and Dreaver will be sentenced in January.