The ABC will get its $83 million funding cut reversed if Labor wins the next election.

Bill Shorten is promising to guarantee funding certainty to the national broadcaster after the last round of cuts in the federal budget.

“This year alone, this out-of-touch government has cut $83.7 million in ABC funding, launched two damaging public broadcasting inquiries and has three bills before Parliament to meddle with the ABC Charter,” the opposition leader said on Monday.

Mr Shorten says Labor will reverse the funding cuts from this year’s budget, which came on top of more than $200 million worth of cuts in previous years.

“At a time when too many Australians feel disengaged from their democracy and distrustful of their representatives, Labor wants to restore trust and faith in our institutions,” Mr Shorten said.

“Part of restoring trust is supporting a healthy public interest media sector, and protecting that trusted institution – the ABC.”

The funding freeze is due to hit from July 2019, but the next election is due before then.

“We know it will be challenging for us,” ABC chief financial officer Louise Higgins told a Senate estimates hearing in May.

Operating costs are rising faster than inflation and Ms Higgins flagged there would be upcoming funding talks with the government.

Thirty years ago the ABC had five platforms and 6000 staff but now it has six times the platforms and 4000 staff, while per capita funding had halved.

-AAP