Australia was 4-248 at stumps on day one of the pink-ball match at Perth's Optus Stadium, with Labuschagne unbeaten on 110 off 202 balls.

Labuschagne brought up his ton with a massive six over long-on off New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner midway through the final session. It followed knocks of 185 and 162 against Pakistan to start the summer.

The Queenslander went past 1000 career Test runs during his innings, with more than 900 of those coming during a stellar 2019. He's the fourth-fastest Australian to the 1000-run mark.

He hit 14 boundaries and put on 132 for the third wicket with a patient Steve Smith (43 off 164 balls).

The former skipper was out hooking, caught by Tim Southee at leg gully off the bowling of Neil Wagner (2-52).

The Black Caps should have had Smith on 19 just before dinner when Tom Latham dropped him at second slip off debutant Lockie Ferguson.

The ball went fast at him after Smith slashed at a ball outside off stump, but it still should have been caught.

In more bad news for the Black Caps, Ferguson left the field with a suspected right calf strain sustained while bowling in the second session. He was sent for an MRI scan and will be reassessed in the morning.

New Zealand gave Ferguson his debut after star paceman Trent Boult (side strain) failed to prove his fitness in time for the match.

Ferguson hit speeds of about 145km/h early on, with his pace troubling Australia's batsmen at times.

Wagner had earlier taken the catch of the summer to remove the in-form David Warner for 43. With Warner looking set for another big innings after Australia won the toss, he bunted a low full toss back at the left-armer Wagner just before tea.

The ball never went above shin height and the Black Caps quick fell low to his right and took the ball with one hand.

It is just the second time Warner has been dismissed this Test summer, having amassed 532 runs already after a big series against Pakistan.

Joe Burns (9) was trapped lbw by the steady Colin de Grandhomme (1-24 off 16 overs) before ball tracking later showed he would have been not out had he reviewed it.

Southee (1-53) bowled Matthew Wade for 12 with a big inswinger in the third over with the new ball. Travis Head survived some tense moments to 20 not out at stumps.

Smith didn't hit his first boundary until his 52nd ball and later worked Santner twice to the mid-on rope.

Labuschagne led the pair. On the rare occasions the Black Caps pitched too full he drove nicely down the ground. He brought up his half-century with the most aggressive shot of the second session, uppercutting Ferguson over the slips for four.