Source: The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23082214-5013404,00.html
MUSLIM leaders have urged Kevin Rudd to revive an Islamic taskforce to advise his fledgling regime on Islam and community-related problems.
But the nation's most senior Islamic leaders, who headed John Howard's now disbanded Muslim Community Reference Group, are already divided about the proposed committee.
Mr Howard's 14-member committee, which included the sacked former mufti of Australia Taj Din al-Hilali, was dogged by in-fighting and ethnic rivalry that eventually lead to its downfall after one year.
However, Aziza Abdel-Halim yesterday stressed the importance of forming another government-backed Islamic body to shield Australia's almost 350,000 Muslims from being racially and religiously targeted by opponents of Islam.