Setting the policy agenda and acting like a statesman are two distinct areas that need not necessarily go together.
Abbott had neither a head for policy nor the temperament of a statesman. I think Shorten - while unlikely to pull stunts like whining about domestic partisan politics during speeches to international leaders as Abbott did - is nonetheless too ruthless and cynical to be considered statesmanlike; however, he did lead from the front policy-wise during the election campaign, and given Malcolm's flip-flopping tendencies so far, I'd expect him to continue in that mould going forward.
