TV presenter admits doing illegal building work ‘naive’
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 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.
“It just kept evolving and we just didn’t pay enough attention, basically,” she said.
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.”
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 building charges relate to work done soon after the couple bought the lifestyle block and other construction that was done last year.
They admitted unlawfully installing a pot belly stove and a yurt — a circular hut originally used as temporary shelter by nomadic Mongolians.
In July 2014, also without consent, they converted a shed into a “recreation/reading room” and added a veranda.
A shipping container was transformed into a kitchen and a second-storey sleeping area was added without approval.
Julian Marcadere Davis faces charges related to the building work. He will be back in court next month.
Kamo and Dreaver will be sentenced in January. — NZME