Research reports and policy briefs
Supply Nation conducts research and publishes on issues relevant to Indigenous Australians and Indigenous business, collaborating with university centres, government and independent research agencies on research and policy projects.
 |
State of Indigenous Business WA Insights Report: An analysis of Indigenous procurement spending patterns in Western Australia 2024–25
This report analyses procurement spend data in FY24–25 with Supply Nation suppliers and members. This collaboration between Supply Nation and Waalitj Hub speaks to the opportunities and challenges in the Western Australia (WA) region. Published March 2026 Download report Download highlights |
 |
State of Indigenous Business: An analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2024-2025
This report draws on data from SpendTracker and supplier records to provide a comprehensive view of trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the Indigenous business sector. Published December 2025 Download report Download highlights |
 |
The Sleeping Giant Rises
Understanding the social value created by Indigenous businesses and its contribution to Closing the Gap. Published October 2025 Download report Download highlights |
 |
Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 5 – Making Indigenous friendly businesses: the impact of Indigenous managers
This policy brief provides a summary of the key findings from a review into the impact of Indigenous managers in non-Indigenous businesses to help close the employment gap. Published February 2025 Download policy brief |
 |
State of Indigenous Business: An analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2023-2024
This research report provides an analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses from 2023-2024. Published November 2024 Download report |
 |
Legacy – Supply Nation’s 15-year Anniversary Report
This research report celebrates our impact and provides a view on ‘where to from here?’ for Indigenous procurement in Australia through analysis of broader global and business trends. Published September 2024 Download report |
 |
First Nations businesses succeeding internationally
Supply Nation collaborated with Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to develop a landmark report that examines the experiences of First Nations businesses involved in exporting. Published September 2024 View report |
 |
The geographies of Indigenous business in Australia: An analysis of scale, industry and remoteness
This research report highlights the diversity of Indigenous business in Australia and emphasises the need for Indigenous business support policy to understand the relevance of size, industry, and remoteness on Indigenous business strategies and outcomes. Published September 2023 Download report |
Research archive
- State of Indigenous Business: an analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2021-2022, published March 2023
- Supply Nation’s 'story of change', published February 2023
- Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 4 – Measuring the holistic impacts of investing in Indigenous businesses: a knowledge review, published October 2022
- State of Indigenous Business: an analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2019-2021, published June 2022
- Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 3 – Indigenous employment in the Indigenous business sector, published June 2022
- What makes Indigenous business unique? How understanding Indigenous cultural values can improve Indigenous procurement, published November 2021
- State of Indigenous Business: the impact of COVID-19 on the Indigenous business sector: the view from the frontline, published March 2021
- Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 2 – Principles for designing post COVID-19 support programs for Indigenous business, published February 2021
- Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 1 – Implications of COVID-19 for the Indigenous labour market, published December 2020
- State of Indigenous Business: a quantitative analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the Indigenous business sector, published December 2020
- State of Indigenous Business: driving growth across the Indigenous business sector, published December 2020
- The Sleeping Giant, published November 2019
- Indigenous Business Growth Report, published November 2019