"What is the most important change you hope to offer magical Britain?"
"At the risk of being chided for a lack of specifics," he began with a cocky smile towards the crowd. He was aware that this was something people were saying about him; that he lacked any concrete opinions. Apparently most of wizarding society did not understand that issues were nuanced, and his opinions on them were equally so. He wasn't exactly surprised that most of wizarding society apparently wasn't intelligent enough to actually understand his positions on various policies, but it was rather grating by this point in the campaign. "The most important change I offer is a philosophical one rather than something tied to a specific, isolated issue. It's a change from tradition, electing a career Ministry man to continue on largely in the way things have always been done, to having a Minister driven by ideals and unburdened by the limitations of how we've always gone about things. It's a change from taking small steps in the right direction, to setting our sights on how things should be and removing the obstacles that stand in our way."
He glanced at Ross, but he hadn't signaled that Oz was out of time yet. It was important to squeeze all of his allotted time for all it was worth, he had been coached; a platform like this was not likely to present itself again. Maybe he could use the time to make himself seem a little more approachable and personable? "Anyone who knows me, or my family, will know I'm not preoccupied with my reputation," he joked. This was off-script; hopefully Christabel didn't kill him for it after the event. "Nor do I have my own personal career interests to look after. I don't bring the baggage of any specific office and their pet projects. My only priority while in office will be doing what is best for our country."
"Mr. Ozymandias Dempsey. You have not previously worked in the Ministry; what makes you qualified to run it?"
This was, of course, the question he had most expected and the one he had spent time preparing for. That said, he was still a little disappointed that it was really all the voting public apparently wanted to ask. He had actual opinions about things, and some of the other candidates had been asked about their opinions — why was his job history the only thing that seemed to interest anyone when it came to his campaign? Maybe he ought to publish a platform — it had seemed a little presumptuous early on, but at this point it was more of a shortcut than anything else. He almost wished someone would ask him about women's suffrage. Almost.
"Being Minister of Magic is not about managing day to day office work," he began. "I trust that the Ministry's Department Heads are perfectly capable of running their own departments without micromanagement. The Office of Minister is about policy, about diplomacy, and about leadership, none of which are skills learned exclusively through sitting at a Ministry desk. I've spent time abroad, learning the culture and history of all of our major allies and competitors on the international stage. I've invested in both businesses and arts movements domestically, giving me firsthand knowledge of the economy. And finally," this last was borrowed from his sister; he hoped he managed the words as eloquently as she had when they had been practicing. "I have the creativity and innovation to take the Ministry in a new direction. The Ministry as it stands is a train that runs reasonably well, but there are improvements that can be made — but one would not hire a component of the engine to drive that train." Was that the gist of her metaphor? He thought perhaps he'd botched it. "Outside perspective is necessary to create real positive change."
Would you change or maintain the marriage ban between humans and non-humans?"
Oz hadn't expected this to be one of the top questions of the debate; it seemed rather a settled issue to him. Bafflement aside, though, he felt ready to answer it. "I certainly wouldn't advocate a wholesale repeal of the marriage ban," he began. "It exists for a reason, and that reason is to protect the magical population as a whole from a repeat of the 1877 riots. Half-human children specifically pose a threat to the community when they bear obviously non-human traits and have the ability to use magic," he continued. And they're children and therefore unpredictable and terrible he did not add; he didn't need any stronger connection in the minds of the voters between him and the whole issue of whether children were worth the trouble. "That said, the existing rule is broad and there is room for more nuance in its application than currently exists. If elected, I would recommend a Wizengamot committee to review the issue and determine the right set of criteria for the issue."
"What do you feel is the most pressing matter for the Minister's office both a) domestically and b) internationally?"
"Internationally, it's the management of colonies and territories," Oz said without hesitation. "The decisions of the Queen regarding the British Empire's expansion and maintenance haven't always mirrored wizarding society; as English Muggle society expands we must establish healthy relationships with new wizarding communities. There's not a one-size-fits-all approach to this, but it's crucial to setting us up for future success on the international stage. Domestically," he hesitated, not sure he wanted to commit to this or not. He wished he could see where Thomasina was sitting, out in the audience, but the stage lights didn't give him any range of vision beyond the first two rows. "Voting reform. Recent demonstrations have shown that it's coming one way or another, so our next Minister needs to handle the issue proactively."
"At the risk of being chided for a lack of specifics," he began with a cocky smile towards the crowd. He was aware that this was something people were saying about him; that he lacked any concrete opinions. Apparently most of wizarding society did not understand that issues were nuanced, and his opinions on them were equally so. He wasn't exactly surprised that most of wizarding society apparently wasn't intelligent enough to actually understand his positions on various policies, but it was rather grating by this point in the campaign. "The most important change I offer is a philosophical one rather than something tied to a specific, isolated issue. It's a change from tradition, electing a career Ministry man to continue on largely in the way things have always been done, to having a Minister driven by ideals and unburdened by the limitations of how we've always gone about things. It's a change from taking small steps in the right direction, to setting our sights on how things should be and removing the obstacles that stand in our way."
He glanced at Ross, but he hadn't signaled that Oz was out of time yet. It was important to squeeze all of his allotted time for all it was worth, he had been coached; a platform like this was not likely to present itself again. Maybe he could use the time to make himself seem a little more approachable and personable? "Anyone who knows me, or my family, will know I'm not preoccupied with my reputation," he joked. This was off-script; hopefully Christabel didn't kill him for it after the event. "Nor do I have my own personal career interests to look after. I don't bring the baggage of any specific office and their pet projects. My only priority while in office will be doing what is best for our country."
"Mr. Ozymandias Dempsey. You have not previously worked in the Ministry; what makes you qualified to run it?"
This was, of course, the question he had most expected and the one he had spent time preparing for. That said, he was still a little disappointed that it was really all the voting public apparently wanted to ask. He had actual opinions about things, and some of the other candidates had been asked about their opinions — why was his job history the only thing that seemed to interest anyone when it came to his campaign? Maybe he ought to publish a platform — it had seemed a little presumptuous early on, but at this point it was more of a shortcut than anything else. He almost wished someone would ask him about women's suffrage. Almost.
"Being Minister of Magic is not about managing day to day office work," he began. "I trust that the Ministry's Department Heads are perfectly capable of running their own departments without micromanagement. The Office of Minister is about policy, about diplomacy, and about leadership, none of which are skills learned exclusively through sitting at a Ministry desk. I've spent time abroad, learning the culture and history of all of our major allies and competitors on the international stage. I've invested in both businesses and arts movements domestically, giving me firsthand knowledge of the economy. And finally," this last was borrowed from his sister; he hoped he managed the words as eloquently as she had when they had been practicing. "I have the creativity and innovation to take the Ministry in a new direction. The Ministry as it stands is a train that runs reasonably well, but there are improvements that can be made — but one would not hire a component of the engine to drive that train." Was that the gist of her metaphor? He thought perhaps he'd botched it. "Outside perspective is necessary to create real positive change."
Would you change or maintain the marriage ban between humans and non-humans?"
Oz hadn't expected this to be one of the top questions of the debate; it seemed rather a settled issue to him. Bafflement aside, though, he felt ready to answer it. "I certainly wouldn't advocate a wholesale repeal of the marriage ban," he began. "It exists for a reason, and that reason is to protect the magical population as a whole from a repeat of the 1877 riots. Half-human children specifically pose a threat to the community when they bear obviously non-human traits and have the ability to use magic," he continued. And they're children and therefore unpredictable and terrible he did not add; he didn't need any stronger connection in the minds of the voters between him and the whole issue of whether children were worth the trouble. "That said, the existing rule is broad and there is room for more nuance in its application than currently exists. If elected, I would recommend a Wizengamot committee to review the issue and determine the right set of criteria for the issue."
"What do you feel is the most pressing matter for the Minister's office both a) domestically and b) internationally?"
"Internationally, it's the management of colonies and territories," Oz said without hesitation. "The decisions of the Queen regarding the British Empire's expansion and maintenance haven't always mirrored wizarding society; as English Muggle society expands we must establish healthy relationships with new wizarding communities. There's not a one-size-fits-all approach to this, but it's crucial to setting us up for future success on the international stage. Domestically," he hesitated, not sure he wanted to commit to this or not. He wished he could see where Thomasina was sitting, out in the audience, but the stage lights didn't give him any range of vision beyond the first two rows. "Voting reform. Recent demonstrations have shown that it's coming one way or another, so our next Minister needs to handle the issue proactively."
MJ is the light of my life <3