Steve Smith was out just before lunch as Australia made reached 62-1 after being asked to bat by New Zealand in the first Test in Wellington on Thursday.
Smith, promoted to open for the second Test in a row after the retirement of David Warner, ground out 31 off 71 balls, with four boundaries, before falling to Matt Henry.
Usman Khawaja was on 28 off 82 balls after he and Smith successfuly negotiated the new ball, surviving on a green-looking wicket helping the seamers at Basin Reserve after Tim Southee won the toss and decided to bowl.
Marnus Labuschagne was not out on one at the other end at the interval.
Matt Henry made the breakthrough for New Zealand in the 25th over.
The seamer induced Smith to play back to a delivery that nipped away to take the edge and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell completed a sharp diving catch in front of first slip.
New Zealand are looking for a first Test match victory over Australia since 2011 and come into the two-match series on the back of a 2-0 sweep against South Africa earlier this month.
Australia kept faith with the XI who lost the second Test at home to the West Indies in the drawn 1-1 series in January.
New Zealand’s Will Young will move up the order to open for Devon Conway who has a thumb injury with Daryl Mitchell coming back into the middle order.
Specialist spinner Mitchell Santner was left out with the 32-year-old Scott Kuggeleijn making his second Test appearance in an all-seam attack.
