Free basic medical and dental care will be offered to the families of serving defence personnel under a coalition government.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott made the $77 million announcement while campaigning in the marginal Northern Territory seat of Solomon.
"It should ensure that all Defence families get access at no cost to the basic medical and dental treatment that they have a right to expect," he told reporters on Saturday.
Mr Abbott also promised to release close to 400 defence houses for public use in Darwin.
From July next year defence families will be entitled to $320 worth of dental treatment a year.
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They will also be eligible for an additional rebate for GP visits, Mr Abbott said, noting his scheme builds on the government's "limited" one.
The opposition leader said it was not fiscally responsible to introduce a universal dental scheme at the current time.
And he moved to reassure tenants in the nominated defence housing lot they "need not fear eviction" when the land becomes publicly available.
"Over time it is important this land be used properly to address the kinds of housing problems that Darwin has," he said, noting about 100 houses are already vacant.
