Mitch Marsh's man-of-the-match innings vindicated his risky toss call and paced Australia to a dominating T20 win over the Blackcaps.
The six-wicket win with 21 balls to spare was the Australian men's 15th in their last 17 T20S.
Tim Robinson scored 106 not out - his maiden international white-ball century - as New Zealand rallied from a disastrous start to reach 6-181 in the day-nighter at Mount Maunganui.
It looked like a tricky run chase, especially given that the team batting first has a strong record at the venue.
But Marsh and his fellow top-order batsmen hammered the home attack in the cold and blustery conditions and cruised to 185/4 in the opening game of the Chappell-Hadlee series.
Australia has held the trophy since 2017, and the remaining games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the same venue.
Marsh top-scored with 85 from 43 balls, including nine fours and five sixes. He and Travis Head (31) made a blistering start of 67 in six overs that took the game decisively away from the home team.
Matt Short (29) then combined with Marsh for a 68-run stand.
"It is nice when you come out, and Travis Head and Mitch Marsh have gone berserk. It would be up there with the better hitting I've seen," Short said.
"That in itself almost takes the pressure off me a little bit, just to come in and play my natural way and try to keep the run rate going."
New Zealand were 6/3 in the second over and in dire straits, with Ben Dwarshuis on a hat-trick.
The Australian captain stuck with his field-first policy, despite Tauranga's Bay Oval historically favouring the side that bats first.
That looked like it might hold as Tim Robinson led the home team's recovery. He scored his first white-ball international century, ending the innings with a four and a six to reach 106no from just 66 balls, with six fours and five sixes.
Robinson and Daryl Mitchell (34) had a partnership of 92 - a fourth-wicket record for Australia-New Zealand men's T20S.
The Australians' fielding was below-par, with Robinson dropped three times and also benefited from a missed stumping.
While Head dropped two chances, he was also involved in the highlight of the match late in the New Zealand innings.
Marcus Stoinis stopped a boundary and flicked the ball between his legs to Head, whose excellent throw caught Bevon Jacobs just short for 20.
The absence of Glenn Maxwell with a fractured arm could have been a significant blow to Australia, but their batting was too good.
A century went begging for Marsh when he holed out to Robinson at deep cover.
"We've been playing some excellent cricket. It's obviously a long build to this T20 World Cup (next February), but we're finding our own formula," Marsh said.
"If anything, I probably feel under more pressure to get off to a good start, with the power we have."
Dwarshuis took 2/40 and New Zealand's Matt Henry snared 2/43, while Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa was wicketless but only gave up 27 from his four overs.