Australian commits funding to repair historic Chinese parade loong

CANBERRA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has announced funding to restore an ancient Chinese processional loong, or dragon, after vandals damaged it.

Loong and other important artifacts were damaged earlier in May by vandals at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo - a gold rush town in the state of Victoria.

Andrew Giles, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, on Thursday said the federal government would contribute 100,000 Australian dollars (66,023 U.S. dollars) to repair the historic item.

"The unacceptable defacing of Loong the Dragon - a symbol of strength and resilience for many in the Chinese Australian community - shocked many Australians last week," he said in a statement, adding "The Government strongly condemns this attack. There is no place for this behaviour in Australia."

Twenty-nine meters in length and requiring 22 carriers, the loong was paraded in Australia between 1901 and 1970, including at the opening of the nation's parliament in 1901.

Two people, a man aged 43 and a 44-year-old woman, have been charged with causing criminal damage and will face court in August.