But isn’t this data available from the ATO anyway? Can’t I just get this data myself and do my own return?

Not at all. Whilst the ATO has links to a person’s income and investment information, for example through their employer activity summaries, the last time we checked the ATO hasn’t made it a habit to follow people around monitoring their every expense (so no ATO man in the laundry watching you when you wash work clothing, or on the bus travelling with you to attend a course, or even standing next to you when you’re buying a new computer for home study use!).

In simple terms, it’s quite likely that the ATO will have a person’s income details but it’s very unlikely they’ll ever know how each person lives their life and what expenses and deductions they incur. Equally, they won’t know the intricacies of each person’s occupation and what they might do on behalf of their employer, or when they research or maintain their investments. 

Our view is that Xpnsit actually enhances the process and makes it easier for individuals to lodge their return, either via an advisor, agent or directly via E-Tax. The ATO code mapping makes it simple. (Refer E-Tax point)