A lack of data accessibility and transparency is "holding Australia back" on closing the gap, says a firm which has worked with NSW to drive progress.

Aristotle Metadata recently won a 2024 iAward for its work with the New South Wales government, developing systems that make it easier for NSW agencies to find and report on closing the gap measures, and make it easier for the academic sector to access and measure the effectiveness of programs.

NSW has seen a reduction in prison rates, a decrease in the number of children entering youth justice supervision, and also a fall in the rate of Indigenous children being taken into out-of-home care – all three at odds with other Australian jurisdictions, in which the figures are rising.

Aristotle Metadata chief executive Sam Spencer told National Indigenous Times closing the gap won't be achieved without a consistent year-on-year commitment to data collection.

"The Metadata.NSW platform has been a game-changer for NSW. By making data more accessible and transparent, we're giving agencies and researchers the tools they need to track progress, refine programs, and actually improve outcomes for First Nations communities. If other states embraced similar data-sharing strategies, we could see national progress rather than a growing divide," he said.

"While imprisonment rates and youth justice supervision are rising in other states, NSW is seeing declines. The number of out-of-home care placements for Indigenous children are also dropping in NSW, while they continue to climb nationally... It's the result of targeted strategies informed by high-quality, accessible data."

Mr Spencer said good intentions are not enough to get the job done.

"Without reliable, consistent data, we can't measure what's working and what's failing. NSW is leading the way by using data to drive evidence-backed policies that improve real outcomes for First Nations communities," he said.

He said communication and information sharing between agencies was vital to making progress.

"For too long, government departments have worked in silos, making it harder to deliver the right services at the right time. In NSW, we're changing that. By making data easier to share and analyse across agencies, we're ensuring that children in out-of-home care, young people in the justice system, or patients in regional hospitals don't slip through the cracks," he said.

"The NSW Data Passport is cutting down research wait times from weeks to days, while ensuring data is used safely and ethically. By streamlining collaboration between government and researchers, we're accelerating improvements in social programs that directly impact First Nations people."

Mr Spencer noted that everyone would benefit from closing the gap.

"Closing the Gap isn't just a moral imperative, it's an economic one. Research shows achieving equity for First Nations Australians could add $24 billion to our economy," he said.