Welcome to FT, PanP!

I'm not sure why you want to start your award flight in the US/Canada or Tokyo when you are not based there since the cost of getting there could be almost as expensive as getting to Australia/New Zealand but perhaps someone else is paying for you to get there?

Anyway, if you want to book an award for October or November you have left it a little late. NH will start flying HND-SYD but not until December. When I was checking award availability for another FTer I seem to remember Air New Zealand had reasonable availability for HKG-AKL.

Don't expect M&M call centers to suggest possible routing for you. They can't do it even if you are flying on LH Group of airlines!