Moments before the afternoon attack on November 1 last year, Haitana and her partner had been drinking alcohol together at the Waitara address, where they resided on the section in a portacom cabin.
They had begun arguing and the man, tired of listening to Haitana's demands, walked away from her.
He stood in the driveway drinking a beer with his back towards her while she went into their cabin and located the boning knife.
Enraged, Haitana approached the man from behind and stabbed him with the weapon, a Crown summary of facts stated.
A short time later, police arrived at the address and arrested her.
In explanation, she told officers "I only wanted a cigarette."
Meanwhile, the man was transported to the hospital by ambulance for emergency surgery.
He had received a puncture wound so deep the knife had penetrated his lung, causing it to collapse.
In court, Crown prosecutor Laura Blencowe withdrew a charge of possessing an offensive weapon, and amended a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to one of wounding with intent to injure.
Following that, Haitana entered a guilty plea to the single charge, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment.
Judge Lynne Harrison issued Haitana with her first-strike warning.
The matter was referred to restorative justice and a pre-sentence report was ordered.