A woman left critically injured in the alleged terrorist attack at Bondi Beach has publicly criticised a Sydney hospital for stripping her of her identity during her treatment. Rosalia, who was shot at the Hanukkah by the Sea event, says staff at Liverpool Hospital changed her name on records to the alias 'Karen Jones' and erased her religion.
A Night of Terror and a Shocking Discovery
On December 14, Rosalia was attending the Hanukkah celebration with friends and family when, according to police, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, opened fire on the crowd. The attack killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. As bullets flew, Rosalia lay on the ground beside her husband, Gregory, when shrapnel struck her head, leading to her being rushed to Liverpool Hospital for urgent surgery.
During her recovery, she made a disturbing discovery. Hospital staff had removed her personal wristband and replaced it with one bearing the name 'Karen Jones', with all references to her religion deleted. "First I was admitted under my name and under my religion, but next day, before my operation, they said that they have to change my name," Rosalia explained to the Today Show.
"I was feeling terrible. It's like I've been ripped off of my identity," she said, adding that her family has lived in Australia for 40 years. She was told the change was for her safety and to keep the media away, a justification she found deeply unsettling.
Political Repercussions and a Royal Commission
The incident has unfolded against a backdrop of intense national scrutiny. Rosalia and her husband described the horror of the attack, initially mistaking the gunfire for fireworks. Gregory recalled the moment he realised his wife was injured, with bullets landing near his feet as he tried to help her.
Reflecting on her long history in the country, Rosalia expressed a profound loss of feeling safe. "The last two years, we didn't feel safety, not even for one day," she stated, calling for a change in government. Her comments came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Royal Commission into antisemitism and social cohesion on Thursday, 25 days after the attack.
Albanese, who had initially resisted calls for an inquiry, backtracked after meeting victims' families. The commission, to be led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell, is tasked with examining the circumstances of the attack and the prevalence of antisemitism. It must deliver its final report by the first anniversary of the tragedy.
Hospital Defends Actions Amidst Privacy Concerns
In response to the allegations, a spokesman for South Western Sydney Local Health District told the Today Show that the organisation is "committed to ensuring patient privacy is protected at all times and takes all necessary steps to ensure it is maintained." The statement did not directly address the specific case of the name and religion alteration.
Rosalia's experience has sparked a wider conversation about patient dignity, security protocols, and the social fractures exposed by the Bondi Beach attack. As the community continues to mourn, the promised Royal Commission represents a significant political attempt to address the underlying issues of religious extremism and cohesion in Australia.
