Trying to create a new Smart Group results in fatal error

See also http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php/topic,34424.0.html

Steps to reproduce:
1. Perform a contact search
2. Select all n records
3. Choose action "New Smart Group"

Expected outcome:
New Smart Group form is displayed

Actual outcome:
"White Screen of Death"
PHP fatal error recorded in log.

This renders the Smart Groups function unusable.

Haven't testing on demo, however as per forum link there are at least two others experiencing the problem on differing software configurations and since CiviCRM 4.5.0

Apparent cause is a static function in the form build process trying to break data encapsulation.

PHP Fatal error: Cannot access protected property CRM_Contact_Form_Task_SaveSearch::$_id in sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Group/Form/Edit.php on line 502
PHP Stack trace (relative to Drupal 7 root):
PHP 1.

() index.php:0
PHP 2. menu_execute_active_handler() index.php:21
PHP 3. call_user_func_array() includes/menu.inc:517
PHP 4. civicrm_invoke() includes/menu.inc:517
PHP 5. CRM_Core_Invoke::invoke() sites/all/modules/civicrm/drupal/civicrm.module:457
PHP 6. CRM_Core_Invoke::_invoke() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/Invoke.php:52
PHP 7. CRM_Core_Invoke::runItem() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/Invoke.php:75
PHP 8. CRM_Core_Controller->run() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/Invoke.php:331
PHP 9. HTML_QuickForm_Page->handle() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/Controller.php:356
PHP 10. HTML_QuickForm_Controller->handle() sites/all/modules/civicrm/packages/HTML/QuickForm/Page.php:103
PHP 11. CRM_Core_QuickForm_Action_Display->perform() sites/all/modules/civicrm/packages/HTML/QuickForm/Controller.php:203
PHP 12. CRM_Core_Form->buildForm() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/QuickForm/Action/Display.php:93
PHP 13. CRM_Contact_Form_Task_SaveSearch->buildQuickForm() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Core/Form.php:455
PHP 14. CRM_Group_Form_Edit::buildParentGroups() sites/all/modules/civicrm/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/SaveSearch.php:126

$_id is indeed declared protected in CRM_Contact_Form_Task_SaveSearch