A mining firm, Regis Resources, is fighting a government heritage order that protects part of its goldmine site in central west New South Wales. The order, made by former environment minister Tanya Plibersek, blocks building a tailings dam at McPhillamys goldmine, affecting the project’s viability. Regis told the federal court that the government wrongly handled a key Dreaming story about a blue-banded bee. This story was submitted two years after the initial heritage protection request. Regis said the government should have sent the new information back for fresh expert review. Instead, the process was “ad hoc,” says the company's lawyer Perry Herzfeld SC. "The process adopted by the minister skipped that section 10 reporter process entirely in relation to this critical matter," he added. The company also said the government made other errors like not setting a clear time limit on the protection order and questioned why a key knowledge holder didn’t raise the story earlier. Regis disputes using a blue-banded bee mural in Bathurst as proof the story was widely known, noting the mural was painted after the first protection application. Government lawyer Tiffany Wong SC defended the process. She said the mural was painted two years before the story was submitted and showed community acceptance. Wong explained that sharing sacred stories is delicate and the department worked hard to hear all voices. She argued a fresh application was unnecessary because the site boundaries did not change. Wong called the company’s request for a time limit on the order “counterintuitive.” She said the protection could last indefinitely. The government also denied ignoring how the order affects the mine’s finances and said protecting Aboriginal heritage outweighs monetary loss. The government wants the court to dismiss the case and make Regis pay legal costs. The hearing will continue over three days.